News Desk
MUMBAI: Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithvi Raj Chauhan sparked controversy on Tuesday by openly acknowledging what he described as a decisive setback for India during the initial phase of Operation Sandor.
Speaking to international media outlets, Chauhan asserted that Indian forces had suffered substantial losses on the first day of aerial operations, with multiple Indian jets reportedly downed over the course of the four-day conflict. According to Chauhan, within the first thirty minutes of the air campaign on 7 May, Indian forces were effectively neutralized.
Chauhan explained that the Indian Air Force, fearing further losses at the hands of Pakistan, was grounded entirely, and that no meaningful ground operations were undertaken during the offensive. He criticized the overall planning and execution of the operation, noting that it remained largely limited to air strikes on military bases rather than engaging in coordinated ground action, raising questions about the strategic success of the campaign.
Former Maharashta CM further remarked that the Indian army appeared largely inactive throughout the conflict and suggested that future military engagements were likely to follow a similar pattern unless operational strategies were reassessed. Chauhan also questioned the rationale behind maintaining a 1.2 million-strong army if it was not being deployed effectively in critical situations.
His candid assessment has ignited a political storm in India, prompting calls from rival parties and some sections of the public for him to issue an apology. Chauhan, however, refused to retract his statements, standing firmly by his claims of India’s early defeat during Operation Sandor.
