US president-elect revives 2019 Balakot controversy, drawing sharp reactions from New Delhi amid fragile India-Pakistan ties.
US President-elect Donald Trump has reignited tensions between India and Pakistan by claiming that Islamabad shot down 11 Indian fighter jets during the 2019 aerial skirmish following the Pulwama attack, a assertion that directly contradicts India’s official account and has drawn strong criticism from New Delhi.
The remark, made during recent comments, has been seen as reopening old diplomatic wounds for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which has long maintained that only one Indian aircraft was lost in the confrontation while claiming to have downed a Pakistani jet.
Reviving a bitter chapter:
In February 2019, a suicide bombing in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 40 paramilitary personnel, prompting India to conduct airstrikes on what it described as a militant training camp in Balakot, Pakistan. Pakistan responded with its own airstrikes, leading to a dogfight in which India lost a MiG-21 and pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was briefly captured before being released.
Trump’s latest claim revives a long-disputed narrative. Pakistani officials have consistently asserted they downed multiple Indian jets, while India has rejected those figures as exaggerated propaganda. Independent verification of the exact number of aircraft losses has remained elusive due to the fog of conflict and restricted access to the border region.
Trump’s Remarks Spark Debate:
Indian officials and media outlets reacted swiftly, with some accusing Trump of undermining India’s military prestige and playing into Pakistani hands. The Indian government has not issued an official statement yet, but sources indicate discomfort in New Delhi over the timing, as both countries have been attempting to manage tensions along the Line of Control.
Trump’s comments come as he prepares to return to the White House, where his administration previously tried to mediate between India and Pakistan. Critics argue the remarks reflect a transactional approach to foreign policy that prioritises deal-making over historical sensitivities.
For Modi, who has built a strong national image around muscular responses to security threats, the revival of the 2019 narrative is politically sensitive, especially with domestic audiences.
Analysts warn that such public statements risk complicating efforts to stabilise India-Pakistan relations, which remain strained over issues including Kashmir, cross-border militancy, and trade. Both nuclear-armed neighbours have avoided full-scale war since 2019, but trust remains low.