After more than six years of silence and speculation, the Indian government has formally acknowledged that one of its fighter jets was brought down by Pakistan during a heated air encounter in February 2019.
This disclosure came quietly, slipped into a detailed report submitted to India’s parliamentary defence committee earlier this month. The document listed the loss of a MiG-21 Bison during aerial combat near the Line of Control, confirming what Pakistan had claimed at the time — and what India had long avoided stating outright.
The incident dates back to a tense moment in South Asia’s recent military history. Just a day after Indian air raids in Balakot following the Pulwama attack, the skies over Kashmir lit up with dueling jets. In that clash, Pakistan’s Air Force responded swiftly, and according to both international observers and Pakistan’s military, managed to shoot down at least one Indian aircraft. Until now, India kept tight-lipped on this.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the aviator who crashed the downed MiG-21, had parachuted into Pakistan territory, was promptly captured by Pakistani forces, and his images, bloodied, serene, and later sipping tea in captivity, became iconic. Islamabad returned him within 60 hours, which it termed as a goodwill gesture. India declared he was a hero, but official statements were cautious to not concede the aircraft had been shot down.
Now, years later, this low-profile confirmation changes that.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry responded swiftly to India’s admission. In a brief statement, the ministry said the acknowledgement validated what Pakistan maintained from day one. “The facts are clear now. Pakistan’s defence capability and its commitment to peace were both demonstrated in that episode,” said a ministry official, requesting anonymity due to diplomatic sensitivities.
Security analysts in both countries are interpreting the move in different ways. Some suggest that with a new defence review underway in India, there is increased pressure to clarify records. Others see it as a reluctant concession, perhaps nudged forward by internal political or bureaucratic factors.
For Pakistan, the timing may not be significant — but the validation is. “They may not say it loudly, but it’s there in writing now,” said retired Air Vice Marshal Shahzad Chaudhry. “And that carries weight.”
The February 2019 episode had brought the region dangerously close to open conflict. Both sides claimed victories; India said it had struck terror camps in Balakot, while Pakistan showed reporters a damaged forest area with no visible casualties. The air skirmish that followed the next day saw competing narratives — but now, at least part of that story has been put to rest.
