No Orders Were Given to Attack Pakistani Bases: Senior Official's Revelation Sparks Debate
New Delhi/Jakarta (The Uttam Hindu): A recent statement by India's Defence Attache in Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar (Navy), has stirred up a controversy. He claimed that the Indian Air Force suffered the loss of some fighter jets in the initial phase of 'Operation Sindoor' because the political leadership had directed not to attack Pakistani military installations.
There was no order to attack Pakistani military bases…India lost some fighter planes, Indian military officer claims; Embassy gives clarification: Captain Kumar made this statement on June 10 during a defense-related seminar in Jakarta. He said, "We had to suffer losses only because there was an instruction from the political leadership not to target Pakistan's military formations or air defense." He also added that after the initial losses, the strategy was changed, and under this, Indian forces successfully destroyed the enemy's air defense system by attacking with Brahmos missiles. As soon as this statement of Captain Kumar came out, there was a stir in political circles. The Congress party targeted the central government over this and raised questions on the strategy of the political leadership.
However, seeing the controversy growing, the Indian Embassy (Jakarta) issued an official statement saying that Captain Kumar's statement was presented out of context. In a post, the embassy clarified that, "He had tried to tell that the Indian armed forces work under political leadership in a democratic system, which is a symbol of India's democratic tradition."
The embassy also reiterated that the objective of Operation Sindoor was to target only terrorist hideouts, and the action was not motivated by a sense of provocation but was the result of restraint and strategic thinking. It is worth noting that Defense Attachés are senior military officers of the Government of India, who are posted in embassies located in foreign countries and represent India's defense establishments.