The Indian Armed Forces on Monday publicly revealed visual evidence of a downed Pakistani Mirage fighter jet, marking a significant moment in the ongoing military narrative following the recent escalation between India and Pakistan.
The video evidence, released by the Indian Army on social media platform X, showcased wreckage from what was identified as a Pakistani Mirage aircraft—originally developed by French defence manufacturer Dassault Aviation. The clip, titled “Destroy the Enemy in the Sky”, runs for 1 minute and 26 seconds and features the wreckage at around the 1-minute mark, accompanied by the caption: “The Pakistani Mirage… Shattered.”
This visual confirmation followed a joint briefing by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force on Operation Sindoor, the codename for India’s military operations carried out during the recent four-day conflict. The release came just a day after Air Marshal A.K. Bharti stated that India had successfully downed several high-tech aircraft belonging to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), although he had initially refrained from naming specific aircraft models.
Speaking on Sunday during the initial round of briefings, Air Marshal Bharti remarked, “As I said, their planes were prevented from coming inside our border. So, we don't have wreckage with us, but definitely, we have downed a few Pakistani planes... I have the numbers and we are getting into technical details to establish it.”
The confirmation of the Mirage's downing is significant due to the aircraft’s role as a backbone of the PAF’s offensive capabilities. While India has previously confirmed that it targeted key Pakistani military infrastructure under Operation Sindoor, this is the first time photographic or video proof of a specific enemy aircraft being neutralised has been publicly shared.
Defence experts note that the move to release the footage is not only intended to inform the public but also to send a strategic message to Pakistan and the international community regarding the efficacy and precision of India's air defence operations.
As India continues its series of military briefings and transparency initiatives, questions remain about the full extent of damage inflicted on both sides during the conflict, and whether any further disclosures—such as drone footage or satellite imagery—will be released.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has yet to officially confirm any losses to its Mirage fleet or respond to the Indian claims.