Months after suffering a humiliating 6-0 defeat against Pakistan, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi continues to beat the drums of war, making aggressive claims about “removing Pakistan from the map.”

While addressing troops in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, Dwivedi said he would “prepare better next time” and would not hesitate to carry out extreme actions that could “make Pakistan think whether it wants to remain on the world map or not,” according to The Hindu.

False Claims of Strikes Inside Pakistan

The Indian Army Chief claimed that Indian forces targeted nine sites in Pakistan, which he described as “terrorist bases.” However, official reports confirm that the majority of casualties were civilians—at least 51 people were martyred, including 40 civilians and 11 military personnel.

Despite Dwivedi’s statement that India “had no complaints against ordinary Pakistani citizens,” the attack has been widely condemned as an unprovoked Indian strike on Pakistan’s civilian areas.

Pakistan’s Air Force Responds with Strength

India attempted to downplay its losses, but Pakistan shot down multiple Indian fighter jets, including advanced Rafale aircraft. Several international outlets, along with former US President Donald Trump, confirmed Pakistan’s successful air defense response even before Indian officials admitted their losses.

• ISPR confirmed that Indian Rafale jets were destroyed.
• Indian Defence Attaché Captain Shiv Kumar admitted the Indian Air Force lost aircraft during strikes inside Pakistan.
• Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan acknowledged the loss of Indian jets in an interview with Bloomberg.

India later announced posthumous military honors for several of its soldiers and pilots, including those operating Rafale jets.

Rising Tensions in Kashmir and Beyond

Earlier, in April, an attack in Pahalgam, Indian-occupied Kashmir left 26 dead. India immediately blamed Pakistan without evidence. Pakistan rejected the accusations and offered cooperation for an independent probe. The United States condemned the attack but stopped short of backing India’s claim.

By May 7, tensions escalated into a full-scale confrontation when India launched military aggression against Pakistan. Pakistan retaliated forcefully, downing five Indian aircraft. India avoided confirming these heavy losses.

US Intervention and Ceasefire

The brief but intense conflict, involving fighter jets, drones, and heavy artillery, forced India to seek US mediation. President Donald Trump later claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire on May 10, 2025, warning both countries of trade consequences if they continued hostilities.