The Indian Embassy in Indonesia has issued a formal clarification after controversial remarks made by Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, India’s defence attaché to Indonesia, sparked political backlash and media attention. The embassy stated that the officer’s comments about the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) losses during Operation Sindoor were “taken out of context” and “misrepresented.”
We have seen media reports regarding a presentation made by the Defence Attache at a Seminar.
— India in Indonesia (@IndianEmbJkt) June 29, 2025
His remarks have been quoted out of context and the media reports are a mis-representation of the intention and thrust of the presentation made by the speaker.
The presentation…
“We have seen media reports regarding a presentation made by the Defence Attache at a Seminar. His remarks have been quoted out of context and the media reports are a misrepresentation of the intention and thrust of the presentation made by the speaker,” the embassy said in a statement on X.
The embassy emphasized that the presentation highlighted the Indian Armed Forces’ commitment to operating under civilian political leadership, distinguishing India’s democracy from some neighbouring nations. It also underscored that Operation Sindoor was a non-escalatory military response targeting terrorist infrastructure, not conventional military targets.
What Did the Defence Attaché Say?
At a seminar held on June 10, Captain Shiv Kumar mentioned that the IAF lost “some aircraft” while targeting terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during Operation Sindoor. He pointed out that the political directive was to avoid hitting Pakistani military infrastructure and air defences in the initial strike.
“Only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defences,” he explained, attributing the losses to operational limitations imposed from the top.
He went on to describe how the Indian military adapted its strategy post-losses, stating:
“We went for the military installations… we first achieved suppression of enemy air defences and then… all our attacks could easily go through using BrahMos missiles.”
Political Reactions
The remarks ignited strong political criticism back home, particularly from the Congress party. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP-led central government of keeping the opposition and the public in the dark:
“Why is the PM refusing to preside over an all-party meeting and take the Opposition into confidence? Why has the demand for a special session of Parliament been rejected?”
Another Congress leader, Pawan Khera, described the statement as a “direct indictment” of the government’s military strategy.
“They know they’ve compromised national security, and they’re terrified of what the Congress Party will expose before the people of India,” Khera posted on X.
As debate intensifies over the transparency and strategy behind Operation Sindoor, the Ministry of Defence and Indian diplomatic channels are now focused on containing the fallout and maintaining clarity on the Indian Armed Forces’ conduct during the operation.