Eighth plane returned damaged, later abandoned after Pak-India war: Trump

US President Donald Trump, speaking at the Miami Business Forum, once again said that eight aircraft were destroyed during the war between Pakistan and India. He further revealed that the eighth aircraft returned severely damaged and has since been abandoned.

“Eight panes were shot down, It was seven, now it’s eight because the one that was sort of shot down is now abandoned,’ he said. 

Trump has continued to emphasize his role in diffusing tensions between Pakistan and India, repeatedly highlighting how several planes were shot down and claiming that the conflict could have escalated into a nuclear war.

Meanwhile, Pakistani and independent sources have confirmed that Pakistan shot down six Indian jets, including four Rafales.

The Indian Air Force and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh have remained silent on the reported losses and have yet to provide evidence supporting their claims of downing Pakistani aircraft. 

In fact, these claims were made several months after the war, by which time Pakistan had already presented evidence of four downed Indian jets.

Read: Trump now reveals eight planes were destroyed during Pakistan-India war

The losses caused international embarrassment for India’s Rafale fleet and raised questions about the transparency surrounding the May 7 operation. French intelligence sources reportedly confirmed the loss of at least one Rafale during the conflict.

The broader clash began after India’s cross-border strikes, carried out in retaliation for an alleged militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi attributed to Pakistan. The confrontation triggered one of the fiercest aerial exchanges the region has seen in decades.

As the dust settled, India’s narrative of the conflict came under heavy criticism, and the case of the damaged Rafale further strengthened reports suggesting undisclosed losses.