NEW DELHI — India’s military has for the first time acknowledged the loss of fighter jets in the recent escalation with Pakistan, but dismissed Islamabad’s claim of downing six aircraft as “absolutely incorrect.”

Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan confirmed the losses in a televised interview with Bloomberg on Saturday, stating the focus should not be on how many jets were lost, but rather on understanding why they were downed and what lessons have been learned.

“What is important is not the jet being down, but why they went down. That is more important,” Chauhan said on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

“The good part is that we are able to understand the tactical mistake, remedy it, and implement it again after two days.”

Pakistan had claimed responsibility for shooting down six Indian fighter jets — including four Rafales, a Su-30MKI, and a MiG-29 — during India's cross-border airstrikes on May 6–7. Chauhan disputed the number but did not provide specific figures.

The high-stakes confrontation was sparked by an April 22 mass shooting in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists. India blamed cross-border involvement, which Pakistan denied, offering an international investigation instead.

The attacks led to days of retaliatory air and drone strikes between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. India reportedly struck targets inside Pakistan on May 6–7, followed by Pakistani counterstrikes on May 10.

Hostilities were halted after U.S. President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire, which remains in place. — Agencies