NEW DELHI: India downed five Pakistani fighter jets of the F-16 and JF-17 class during the intense fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May, Indian Air Force Chief Amar Preet Singh said on Friday.
Although Singh had previously said that five Pakistani fighter jets and another military aircraft were shot down during the conflict, this is the first time New Delhi has mentioned the class of jets in public.
“As far as air defense part is concerned, we have evidence of one long range strike...along with that five fighters, high-tech fighters between F-16 and JF-17 class, our system tells us,” Singh told reporters at the Indian Air Force annual day press conference.
The F-16 is a US-made fighter jet while the JF-17 is of Chinese origin.
Pakistan’s military did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Pakistan has said it shot down six Indian fighter jets during the conflict, including the French-made Rafale. India has acknowledged some losses but denied losing six aircraft.
On Friday, Singh declined to respond to questions on Pakistan’s claim of downing Indian jets.
The May fighting, the worst between the old foes in decades, was sparked by an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi said was backed by Pakistan.
Both sides used fighter jets, missiles, artillery and drones during the four-day conflict, killing dozens of people, before agreeing to a ceasefire.
Islamabad denied involvement in the Kashmir attack, which killed 26 men and was the worst assault on civilians in India since the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
India said in July that three “terrorists” involved in the attack had been killed, and there was “lot of proof” that they were Pakistanis.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry had questioned the credibility of India’s account of the events, saying it was “replete with fabrications.”
Ties between the countries, which have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, have been downgraded since the attack, with the impact being felt in areas ranging from trade and travel to sports.
India has also kept in abeyance a key water-sharing treaty — a move Pakistan termed an “act of war.”
