The back-and-forth over the 2024 air skirmishes between India and Pakistan has just heated up again.

Speaking during the 93rd Air Force Day celebrations on Friday, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh flatly restated India’s position: the armed forces successfully downed five Pakistani jets during Operation Sindoor back in May. The Air Chief Marshal’s comments were a direct and pointed response to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who recently used his speech at the UN to claim that Pakistan shot down seven Indian planes.

The Chief Marshal was precise about the losses on the Pakistani side. He said India’s systems indicated they struck several key installations, including radars and hangars, and took out significant aircraft. "We have signs of one C-130 class of aircraft," he stated, adding that there was clear evidence of a long-range strike on either an AEW&C or a SIGINT aircraft. Beyond that, the tally includes "at least four to five fighter aircraft, most likely F-16s, with whatever was under maintenance at that time."

The Chief delivered a scathing, yet humorous, dismissal of Pakistan’s counter-claims. He called their story of downing Indian jets "fascinating tales" (*manohar kahaniyan*). "If they think they downed our 15 jets, I hope they are convinced about it and they will cater for 15 less aircraft in my inventory when they come to fight again,” he quipped. He emphasized the sheer lack of proof from the Pakistani side, saying India showed "so many pictures of their places," yet Pakistan couldn't show a single image of a damaged Indian base. "Let them be happy," he concluded, "after all, they also have to show something to their audience to save their reputation."

This is the latest chapter in a feud that saw Pakistan’s Prime Minister Sharif present a wildly twisted account of Operation Sindoor at the UN, accusing India of attacking "civilians" following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack. That false narrative was instantly rejected by India’s UN representative, who famously clapped back, "If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangars look like victory... Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it."

For context, Operation Sindoor was initiated two weeks after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, successfully targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, reportedly neutralizing over 100 terrorists.