‘How many aircraft did we lose?’: Rahul Gandhi questions Jaishankar on allegedly informing Pakistan before Operation Sindoor

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday questioned External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's  "silence" on allegations that the government informed Pakistan in advance about strikes on terror infrastructure under Operation Sindoor.

"EAM Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling — it’s damning. So I’ll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew? This wasn’t a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth," Gandhi posted on X.

EAM Jaishankars silence isnt just telling its damning.So Ill ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew?This wasnt a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth. https://t.co/izn4LmBGJZ

Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 19, 2025

The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi last week accused the Centre  of "informing" Pakistan, saying it was a crime and asking who had authorised it.

Gandhi had accused  Jaishankar of publicly admitting that the Centre had informed Pakistan of the action. "Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that the GOI did it. Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?" the Rae Bareli MP said in a post on X on Saturday.

He also shared an undated video of Jaishankar where the EAM was heard saying “at the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan saying we are striking at terrorists’ infrastructure. We are not striking at the military. So the military has an option of standing out and not interfering in this process. They chose not to take that good advice.”

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), responding to Gandhi’s statement, called it a “misrepresentation of facts”.

“External Affairs Minister had stated that we had warned Pakistan at the start, which is clearly the early phase after Op Sindoor’s commencement. This is being falsely represented as being before the commencement. This utter misrepresentation of facts is being called out," read the MEA statement.

During a media briefing on MNay 11 with Director General of Military Operations Lt General Ghai and Navy counterpart Vice Admiral A N Pramod, Director General Air Operation Air Marshal A K Bharti had said he would not like to comment on whether India lost any aircraft in Operation Sindoor due to the prevailing combat situation.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) also debunked claims that Jaishankar had said India informed Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor.

"The statement of the Union @DrSJaishankar is being presented in the wrong context. #PIBFactcheck has previously denied such claims being made on social media," it stated.

On May 7, the Indian armed forces conducted strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoK, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.