NEW DELHI – In a rare development, Indian newspaper The Hindu briefly confirmed that three Indian fighter jets were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force before removing the report from its social media platforms. The now-deleted post included images of the downed aircraft.
The publication later issued a clarification, stating that it had not received official confirmation from the Indian government. As a result, it decided to take down the post to avoid confusion and issued an apology for the premature release.
However, international sources have also verified the incident. The Associated Press (AP), a leading American news agency, reported that one of the Indian aircraft crashed near Akhnoor in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. AP even released video footage showing wreckage from the downed jet.
Additionally, another clip shared by AP showed debris from a second aircraft in the Pulwama district, further supporting Pakistan’s claim of having neutralized multiple Indian jets in a recent military exchange.
These confirmations, especially from global media, put further pressure on the Indian government, which has so far avoided publicly acknowledging the losses. The Pakistani military maintains that it acted in self-defense following unprovoked Indian aggression.
This incident has intensified scrutiny of India’s actions, with many observers urging transparency from New Delhi and calling for restraint on both sides to avoid further escalation in the region.