Prominent Indian defence analyst Pravin Sawhney has debunked Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh’s claim of destroying Pakistani aircraft during the May clashes.

Sawhney said the air chief failed to produce any credible evidence to substantiate the allegations, warning that such unverified statements could create command-related issues within the Indian Air Force.

He noted that the official air force press release did not contain the claims made in Singh’s public address.

Raising a key question, Sawhney asked how the destruction of an advanced F-16 — whether in the air or on the ground — could go unnoticed for three months.

He said that the loss of such a modern fighter jet would have quickly surfaced through satellite imagery, intelligence reports and global media coverage.

The analyst added that Singh did not provide details of the allegedly destroyed aircraft, making the claims appear dubious.

He described the remarks as a confused and delayed response following a recent operational setback against Pakistan.

Sawhney recalled that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had promptly released details of Indian aircraft losses following the May 7 aerial engagement, including the downing of a Rafale jet.

The PAF also released cockpit communication audio, which it claimed to have intercepted and decoded, as evidence of the incident.