New Delhi: Telangana’s Irrigation, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy, a seasoned Indian Air Force veteran, on Saturday demanded full transparency from the Government of India regarding the losses suffered during the recent four-day Indo-Pakistan operation, particularly the reported downing of Rafale fighter jets.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Uttam Kumar Reddy also pressed the BJP-led Government at the Centre to act urgently on the concerns raised by the Air Force Chief about delays in aircraft supply, talent shortages, and the gap between sanctioned and operational squadrons.
Introducing himself, Uttam Kumar Reddy detailed his own defence background: a graduate of the National Defence Academy, a fully operational fighter pilot who flew MiG-21s on the Chinese border and MiG-23s on the western sector, and a former ADC to the President of India. “I have served at many fighter bases that are now in the news,” he said. “I was a four-aircraft leader and a trainer captain, so I understand the operational realities.” He also highlighted his political career as a six-term MLA and a Member of Parliament, where he served on the Parliamentary Defence Committee alongside Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, and Revanth Reddy.
Uttam Kumar Reddy began by unequivocally praising the Indian Air Force for its role in the recent Indo-Pak operation, describing it as “a very decisive victory.” “All of us in the Congress party are proud of the way the Indian Air Force struck terrorist camps in nine bases across Pakistan and defended our skies with precision,” he said. “It was a truly outstanding operation that met all objectives.”
However, Uttam Kumar Reddy quickly shifted to the serious issues highlighted by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who he said had made several statements recently that “should concern all of us.” He cited the Air Chief’s warnings about severe delays in the supply of fighter aircraft and weaponry, which, he said, were “a serious problem for the Air Force.” He also reminded that during his tenure on the Parliamentary Defence Committee, he and his colleagues had repeatedly flagged that India’s operational fighter squadrons were below the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons, each with 16 to 18 aircraft. “India currently has only 31 squadrons, which is substantially lower than required, especially when we face a collusive threat from both China and Pakistan,” he said.
The minister emphasised that all three armed forces are short of manpower by over 10 per cent, an issue worsened by recruitment slowdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic that have yet to recover. “Given the live threats on both our borders, we should be going beyond the sanctioned strength,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also criticised Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for failing to deliver the Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets on time, echoing the Air Chief’s frustration. “This can prove to be a serious problem,” he said. “The Air Chief himself expressed his unhappiness about the situation, and the whole country and the Government of India must wake up to the reality that we need to strengthen our armed forces considerably more.”
Quoting the Air Chief Marshal directly, Uttam Kumar Reddy said: “India has fallen behind China in defense technology and production, even as our training standards remain superior.” He stressed that this should be of “serious concern,” urging the government to take necessary corrective steps.
Uttam Kumar Reddy pointed out that the Air Force currently needs 35 to 40 fighter jets annually, but HAL, which is contracted to supply 24 fighter aircraft per year, has failed to deliver even that. “The Air Chief has also flagged a deeper malice – contracts signed with unrealistic deadlines that vitiate the procurement process and erode institutional trust,” he said.
He also addressed the issue of talent shortages in the Air Force, highlighting that the best minds are not joining the service in sufficient numbers, especially in operational and R&D wings. “Technology delayed is technology denied,” he emphasised, calling on the government to attract top talent.
“When Rahul Gandhi ji first raised a question to the External Affairs Minister whether any Rafale has been show down, he was bizarrely accused of being anti-national,” he said. “But today, General Anil Chauhan, the Chief of Defence Staff, has confirmed that Rafale aircraft were brought down.” He also cited Air Marshal Bharti, Director General Air Operations, who in the DGMO briefing said: “Losses are normal in combat. The objectives of the mission have been achieved and all pilots have come home.” Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasised that while the pilots returned safely, “the aircraft have not returned to their bases,” highlighting the need for transparency.
The fact that the fighter aircraft were down is something that the Government of India needs to stop denying. The CDS himself mentioned that. Earlier Air Marshal Bharti had mentioned it indirectly in his briefing along with the DGMO. He specifically said, “losses are normal in… pic.twitter.com/e6xsFegPBK
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 31, 2025
He criticised the BJP government for initially denying these losses and launching a campaign against Rahul Gandhi. “Now that the CDS himself has spoken, the government should stop the denials,” he said. “We are proud of our armed forces, but transparency strengthens trust and helps us learn from every operation.”
Uttam Kumar Reddy also raised questions about the ceasefire announcement during the operation. “How did the US President announce the ceasefire well before the DGMOs of India and Pakistan spoke?” he asked. “The government of India has never clearly explained how this happened.”
He stressed the need for a serious reassessment of India’s defence technology, pointing out that most of the firing during the four-day operation happened from within each country’s international borders. “Yet, we lost fighter aircraft. This requires a thorough review of our technological capabilities,” he said.
Responding to BJP leader Sambit Patra’s criticism that the Congress was more focused on India’s losses than Pakistan’s, Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “Any government must be transparent. Accountability is a normal thing in a democracy. We are proud of the armed forces and their devastating impact on Pakistan. But telling the country about our own losses is also important.” He reminded that General Chauhan himself said: “We must learn lessons from any losses.”
Uttam Kumar Reddy rejected any attempts to label the Congress party anti-national. “Our first family, the Gandhi family, has made huge sacrifices for the integrity of this country,” he said. “It was during Congress tenures that the Indian armed forces were strengthened in every possible way.”
Addressing questions about nuclear threats, Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “We never progressed from conventional conflict to that stage. India has the necessary safeguards in place.”
He reaffirmed his pride in the Indian armed forces while urging the government to ensure they are equipped, supported, and respected with honesty and transparency. “The government must acknowledge what happened, learn lessons, and be accountable,” he said. “We salute the Indian Air Force for their decisive victory, but we must be prepared for the challenges ahead.”
