BJP leader admits Pakistan downed five Indian jets in recent conflict
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy admitted that Pakistan downed five Indian fighter jets, including Rafale aircraft, during the recent military confrontation between the two neighbouring countries.
Tensions escalated on May 7, when India launched missile strikes at what it described as 'terrorist infrastructure' across the border. Pakistan responded with retaliatory measures, prompting a sharp military buildup on both sides of the frontier.
The confrontation lasted four days and involved the use of fighter jets, drones, missiles, and artillery — marking the worst military engagement between the two nations in decades before a ceasefire was declared.
Read more: PM confirms downing of sixth Indian jet, hails PAF's combat excellence
Pakistan confirmed shooting down six Indian jets, including the much-hyped Rafale, but India has continued to deny the allegations despite international media reports supporting Pakistan's claims. However, a senior BJP leader has now acknowledged the losses in the recent skirmish.
Speaking on a podcast, Swamy expressed strong criticism of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Pahalgam attack. He denounced the failure to apprehend the perpetrators as 'a grave crime,' lamenting, 'We should have avenged it, but we failed to do so.'
When asked how many Indian fighter jets were downed in the skirmishes, he said, 'Pakistan shot down five of our aircraft using Chinese fighter jets. Their performance was commendable, whereas our French Rafale jets were underwhelming.'
He went on to describe the Rafales as 'insufficient' for India's defence needs.
Swamy, who served in the Rajya Sabha from 2016 to 2022, also levelled serious allegations regarding the controversial Rafale deal, claiming there was widespread corruption in the procurement process. 'This will never be investigated as long as Modi is prime minister, because he won't allow it,' he asserted.
In response to a question about Modi's public rapport with former US President Donald Trump, he dismissed the relationship as superficial. He said, 'Modi is a master manipulator, deceiving the public. But Indians living abroad know the truth — he has no real stature in USA. He is, in essence, a servant.'
Read more: Locations of downed Indian aircraft disclosed by security sources
Swamy also accused Modi of caving under international pressure during the crisis. 'The United States asked for a ceasefire, and you submitted. Who authorised that decision? Was it the military? No. It was your fear of the United States, and especially Donald Trump. Modi's cowardice has been exposed. We need a new course of action in the coming months,' he said.
When asked about the path forward, he was unequivocal. 'Modi must step down. He has failed to uphold the founding principles of our republic so he has to go. It's not just my opinion — many others agree, though they are afraid to say it publicly,' he added.
The clash erupted following a deadly attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 tourists.
New Delhi blamed the incident on elements backed by Pakistan, though it offered no public evidence to support the claim. Islamabad strongly denied the accusation and called for an independent investigation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
The top sources of US steel and aluminium imports
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he planned to double tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to 50% from 25%, starting from Wednesday, ratcheting up pressure on global producers and deepening his trade war. Here's a summary of the major trade partners it will affect. Steel Roughly a quarter of all steel used in the U.S. is imported, the bulk of it from neighbours Mexico and Canada or close allies in Asia and Europe such as Japan, South Korea and Germany. While China is the world's largest steel producer and exporter, it sends very little to the United States. Tariffs of 25% imposed in 2018 shut most Chinese steel out of the market. China exported 508,000 net tons of steel to the U.S. last year or 1.8% of total American steel imports. India's NALCO says profit doubles as higher aluminium, copper prices boost margins Aluminium For aluminum, the U.S. is more heavily reliant on imports. Roughly half of all aluminium used in the U.S. is imported, with the vast majority coming from Canada. At 3.2 million tons last year, Canadian imports were twice those of the next nine countries combined. The next largest sources of imports are the United Arab Emirates and China, at 347,034 and 222,872 metric tons, respectively. The U.S. aluminium smelting industry is small by global standards. Total smelter capacity in the country was just 1.73% of the global total according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Asia shares, dollar slip as tariff tensions darken mood
SYDNEY: Asian share markets and the dollar made a soft start on Monday as U.S.-China trade tensions continued to simmer, while investors turned defensive ahead of key U.S. jobs data and a widely expected cut in European interest rates. There was little obvious reaction to President Donald Trump's threat late Friday to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50%, beginning on June 4, a sudden twist that drew the ire of European Union negotiators. Speaking on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump would soon speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping to iron out a dispute over critical minerals. Beijing then forcefully rejected Trump's trade criticism, suggesting a call might be some time coming. White House officials also continued to play down a court ruling that Trump had overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from U.S. trading partners. 'The court ruling will complicate the path ahead on trade policy, but there remains an ample set of provisions available to the administration to deliver its desired results,' said Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan. 'There is a commitment to maintaining a minimum U.S. tariff rate of at least 10% and imposing further sector tariff increases,' he added. 'An increase in ASEAN to discourage transhipment looks likely, and the bias for higher tariffs on U.S.-EU trade persists.' Markets will be particularly interested to see if Trump goes ahead with the 50% tariff on Wednesday, or backs off as he has done so often before. In the meantime, caution reigned and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan went flat. Japan's Nikkei fell 1.4%, while Hong Kong dropped 2.5%. South Korean stocks edged up 0.2% on hopes a snap presidential election on Tuesday would deliver a clear winner. EUROSTOXX 50 futures dipped 0.2%, while FTSE futures and DAX futures were little changed. S&P 500 futures eased 0.4% and Nasdaq futures lost 0.5%. The S&P had climbed 6.2% in May, while the Nasdaq rallied 9.6% on hopes final import levies will be far lower than the initial sky-high levels. Front-running the tariffs has already caused wild swings in the economy, with a contraction in the first quarter likely turning into a jump this quarter as imports fall back. The Atlanta Fed GDPNow estimate is running at an annualised 3.8% for April-June, though analysts assume this will slow sharply in the second half of the year. Data this week on U.S. manufacturing and jobs will offer a timely reading on the pulse of activity, with payrolls seen rising 130,000 in May while unemployment stays at 4.2%. Eyeing unemplyment A rise in unemployment is one of the few developments that could get the Federal Reserve to start thinking of easing policy again, with investors having largely given up on a cut this month or next. A move in September is seen at around a 75% chance, though Fed officials have stopped well short of endorsing such pricing. There are at least 11 Fed speakers on the diary for this week, led by Fed Chair Jerome Powell later on Monday. Fed Governor Christopher Waller did say on Monday that cuts remain possible later this year as he saw downside risks to economic activity and employment and upside risks to inflation from the tariffs. A softer jobs report would be a relief for the Treasury market, where 30-year yields continue to flirt with the 5% barrier as investors demand a higher premium to offset the ever-expanding supply of debt. The Senate this week will start considering a tax-and-spending bill that will add an estimated $3.8 trillion to the federal government's $36.2 trillion in debt. Across the Atlantic, the European Central Bank is considered almost certain to cut its rates by a quarter point to 2.0% on Thursday, while markets will be sensitive to guidance on the chance of another move as early as July. The Bank of Canada meets Wednesday and markets imply a 76% chance it will hold rates at 2.75%, while sounding dovish on the future given the tariff-fuelled risk of recession there. Widening rate spreads have so far offered only limited support to the U.S. dollar. 'The greenback remains near the lower end of its post-2022 range and considerably weaker than interest rate differentials would imply,' noted Jonas Goltermann, deputy chief markets economist at Capital Economics. 'Sentiment around the greenback remains negative and it continues to look vulnerable to further bad news on the fiscal and trade policy fronts.' On Monday, the dollar slipped 0.3% on the yen to 143.55 , while the euro edged up 0.2% to $1.1370 . The greenback even fell 0.2% on the Canadian dollar to 1.3727 , getting no tailwind from Trump's threat of 50% tariffs on Canadian steel exports. In commodity markets, gold firmed 0.6% to $3,310 an ounce , having lost 1.9% last week. Oil prices bounced after OPEC+ decided to increase output in July by the same amount as it did in each of the prior two months, a relief to some who had feared an even bigger increase. Brent rose $1.60 to $64.38 a barrel, while U.S. crude gained $1.74 to $62.53 per barrel.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Field Marshal must act on Kashmir, Palestine too: Hafiz Naeem
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has called on the country's military leadership to actively take up the causes of Kashmir and Palestine. Addressing a large rally titled "Down with Israel and India" at Koh-i-Noor Chowk, he said Pakistan must go beyond statements and play a leading role in supporting oppressed Muslims globally. He said, "If we don't raise our voice for Gaza and Kashmir, we will lose the nation's support. One who saves a life saves all humanity-this is our duty." He also criticised Pakistan's political elite for remaining silent on Israeli aggression, accusing PML-N, PPP and PTI of fearing US displeasure. Hafiz Naeem praised countries like South Africa, Spain and Ireland for taking a bold stand against Israel, and urged Pakistan to lead a Muslim world summit, both political and military, to demand an end to Israeli atrocities and Indian occupation in Kashmir. He warned that continued silence and inaction from Muslim rulers and Pakistan's own establishment would erode public trust. "People backed you against India despite their grievances. But if you stay quiet on Palestine and Kashmir, the nation will stop standing with you," he said.
