Jet Lag

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often prided himself, and has been rightly hailed by his supporters on being a decisive leader. In the Lok Sabha this week, the Indian PM thundered with typical élan that the government had achieved “100% of its objectives” in Operation Sindoor, the cross-border military strike targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and within Pakistan that was carried out in May in retaliation of the gruesome Pahalgam massacre by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

Modi chastised the Congress’ line for demoralising the armed forces and mocked the Opposition’s questions for parroting Pakistan’s script. Yet, amid the roaring rhetoric, one question still hangs awkwardly in the air: how many Indian jets were lost in the operation?

Since the successful conduct of Operation Sindoor, this is the one question that has been persistently asked by the Opposition and amplified by sections of the so-called ‘progressive’ media who generally toe an anti-Modi line.

While much of the Opposition’s line of questioning lacks clarity, it gains currency through the Modi government's refusal to plainly address what ought to be a straightforward matter of record. The Congress, of course, does itself no favours. Its insinuation that informing Pakistan shortly after the strikes constituted “surrender” is a masterclass in strategic illiteracy. If indeed a Rafale had been downed, one might expect a party long starved of electoral victories to mount a national uproar and Pakistan to exhibit India’s loss proudly as a great trophy. The fact that they haven’t should, in itself, be telling.

Still, the government’s ‘ambiguity’ over this point breeds mischief. Modi’s silence on the question of jets has created a vacuum filled by gossip, speculation, and social media fantasists. To his credit, Modi tore into Rahul Gandhi’s juvenile dare to “call Trump a liar,” as if international diplomacy ought to be settled with schoolyard posturing. But if Modi wishes to silence both Congress and the cottage industry of anti-government content creators, he must forcefully clear the air on the jets. The government must understand that public trust is best served not by a perception of opaqueness but by perceptions of clarity.

The irony is that Modi has already won by striking a chord with his jibe at Congress’s Pakistan-leaning rhetoric. It is precisely why he should not hesitate to answer questions about air losses.

The Congress, meanwhile, must rediscover common sense. It is one thing to demand answers, quite another to echo the language of Pakistan’s press briefings. To accuse the government of capitulation for de-escalating tensions is to ignore the delicate balance of modern warfare, where posturing must give way to prudence. In conflating tactical maturity with cowardice, the Congress shows it is still struggling to differentiate between the playground and Parliament.

India is not obliged to respond to every Pakistani provocation. Nor must it allow foreign leaders like Donald Trump to shape its narrative. Modi has shown resolve and purpose. But now, he must close the loop once and for all.