NEW DELHI (Kashmir English): Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has admitted that Chinese fighter jets outperformed the French-made aircraft used by New Delhi during the recent military escalation between India and Pakistan.
In a rare admission, he said Pakistan shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, including Rafales, during the recent military escalation between the two nations.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking in an interview, Swamy said that the Pakistani planes defeated India in the air combat as Pakistan deployed Chinese fighter jets.
The host asked the BJP leader that the opposition leader had also asked how many of our aircraft have been downed?” to which, he replied that Pakistan shot down fiver Indian aircraft.
“Pakistan downed five Indian planes”
“Pakistan downed five of our planes. They used Chinese planes to down our planes, which were French,” Swamy admitted.
“The Chinese planes were good, but the French were not. Rafale is not up to the mark as per India’s needs,” he added, criticising the performance of the much-touted Rafale jets.
He made a startling claim regarding the controversial Rafale deal, alleging corruption in the procurement process. “Corruption happened in Rafale which won’t be investigated till Modi is the PM,” he stated firmly.
Commenting on the lack of accountability within the Indian leadership, Swamy said under the current prime minister, an open probe into the aircraft losses is highly unlikely.
“With Modi in power, no discussions or investigations will take place about how and why those jets were downed,” he said.
The senior BJP leader’s blunt admission comes at a time when tensions are high in the region, and his acknowledgment adds concerns to the incapability of the India’s air force strategies and procurement decisions.
