Indian Navy Captain Shiv Kumar has confirmed that an Indian fighter jet was downed during what he described as the largest air battle since World War II, which took place on May 7 with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Speaking in Jakarta, he acknowledged aircraft losses and criticized political constraints that, in his view, gave Pakistan a tactical edge.

Kumar claimed civilian political leadership had instructed Indian forces not to target Pakistani military installations, which limited India's strategic options. He added that India's military later shifted its strategy to directly target such sites.