• India asserts it shot down six Pakistani aircraft during May's military clash.
• Indian Air Chief Marshal reports five fighter jets and one large aircraft confirmed killed.
• Pakistan's Defence Minister decries Indian claims as "implausible" and "comical."

India's Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh announced that Indian forces shot down six Pakistani aircraft during May's heightened military conflict, marking this as the most significant event in the region in decades. According to Singh, most of these Pakistani planes were taken down by India's Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system, with detailed electronic tracking supporting the claims. He claimed, "We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft," suggesting it may be a surveillance plane shot down 300 km away, thus achieving "the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill," prompting applause from attendees at an event in Bengaluru, reported by Reuters, Al Jazeera, and South China Morning Post.

However, the credibility of Singh's assertions was immediately challenged by Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, who labeled the claims as "implausible" and "comical." In a direct rebuttal, Asif stated, "Not a single Pakistani aircraft was hit or destroyed by India," and suggested that this was a desperate attempt to obscure India’s own military failures during the conflict. He highlighted the absence of such claims until three months post-conflict and emphasized that Pakistan had documented evidence, including technical briefings presented to the media showing the loss of several Indian aircraft, including Rafales, reported by Dawn and Anadolu Agency.

Further complicating the narrative, Asif called for an independent verification of aircraft inventories from both nations to clarify the reality behind the claims. He articulated that the ongoing narratives from India could escalate tensions in a nuclearized environment, noting that, "Wars are not won by falsehoods but by moral authority, national resolve and professional competence." Singh's refusal to specify the types of downed aircraft has left room for speculation and controversy, as both nations clash over narrative control following the events of May 7-10, stated by Reuters and Dawn.