Indian Military Begins to Accept Its Losses in "Operation Sindoor" Against Pakistan
The Indian military leadership is finally beginning to slowly accept its losses in its unprovoked attack on Pakistan that it called "Operation Sindoor". It began with the May 31 Bloomberg interview of the Indian Chief of Defense Staff General Anil Chauhan in Singapore where he admitted losing Indian fighter aircraft to Pakistan in an aerial battle on May 7, 2025. General Chauhan further revealed that the Indian Air Force was grounded for two days after this loss.
General Chauhan was followed by Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, the Indian Defense Attache in Jakarta, Indonesia, who explained last month that the Indian Air Force losses occurred due to "constraint by (the Indian) political leadership" imposed on the Indian Air Force. He said the Indian forces had been directed not to target Pakistan’s military infrastructure or air defenses. “Only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defenses,” he said, explaining why the IAF suffered the loss of fighter jets.
Yesterday, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, India's Deputy Chief of the Army, blamed the losses on Chinese help for Pakistan. He said India faced three enemies: Pakistan, China and Turkey based on the equipment used by Pakistan in the latest round. By this logic, Pakistan faced four or more enemies: India and its arms suppliers France, Israel and Russia whose equipment was used by the Indian military in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.
General Singh said the Pakistanis were closely watching the Indian military's moves in real time. “When the DGMO-level talks were going on, Pakistan actually was mentioning that ‘we know that your such and such important vector is primed and ready for action. I would request you to perhaps pull it back’. So he was getting live inputs … from China,” he added.
Using a homegrown datalink (Link-17) communication system, Pakistan has integrated its ground radars and satellite links with a variety of fighter jets and airborne early warning aircraft (Swedish Erieye AWACS) to achieve high level of situational awareness in the battlefield, according to experts familiar with the technology developed and deployed by the Pakistan Air Force. This integration allows quick execution of a "kill chain" to target and destroy enemy assets, according to experts. This capability was demonstrated recently in the India-Pakistan aerial battle of May 7-8 that resulted in the downing of several Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale.
In an earlier statement, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told Newsweek: “I was in the room when the US vice president spoke to Prime Minister Modi on the night of May 9, warning that the Pakistanis would launch a very massive assault on India if we did not accept certain things". “That night, Pakistan did launch a large-scale attack,” Jaishankar said. India sought and accepted the ceasefire immediately after the "large-scale attack" launched by Pakistan.
These statements by the Indian military brass lead to only one conclusion: Not only is there an implicit admission of India's failed "Operation Sindoor", but also a litany of lame excuses for the losses incurred by the Indian military. The fact is that the Indian leadership clearly underestimated Pakistan's capacity for a strong military and diplomatic response to the Indian provocation labeled "Operation Sindoor". New Delhi was caught unprepared for it.
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Comments
IWT scrapping >>>>>> shooting down a few planes
India won
Modi Bhakts are fools if they believe India can just simply turn off the rivers like a tap.
It's no easy feat to stop raging western rivers down steep high mountains in the Indian territory. It's a massive undertaking to build dams and divert that water into canals in that mountainous terrain.
Indian geo-analytical expert Bhagat has said: “The topography of the region doesn’t allow big dams to be built The only river whose water can be diverted to an extent is Chenab that would need massive investments.”
An Indian environmentalist Himanshu Thakkar has said the risks of building dams on Chenab river are too high. “We already have the largest number of existing, under construction and planned projects in this very fragile, disaster-prone area. This is also a location where experts have warned about the major risks of landslides, floods, seismic activity and glacial lake outburst floods,” says Thakkar, the coordinator of non-profit South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People (SANDRP).
However, some experts say that if India begins controlling the flow with its existing and potential infrastructure, Pakistan could feel the impact during the dry season, when water availability is already at its lowest. One possibility is more frequent de-silting on dams on the Indian side in low water season.
To overcome the issue of water availability in dry season, Pakistan is accelerating its dam construction projects to store large amounts of water in the wet season, particularly Mohmand, Dasu and Diamer Bhasha dams.
There are other ways to exert pressure on India.
For example, India is a "middle riparian" state. The water in these rivers comes from Tibet in China, then flows through India to Pakistan.
For example, the Sutlej River originates in southwestern Tibet, which is part of China, and flows through India and Pakistan before eventually joining the Indus River. China's control over the river's source in Tibet, combined with its infrastructure development on the river, has raised concerns in India about potential water manipulation and its impact on downstream water availability.
And finally, Pakistan has warned India and the world that any attempt to divert water from the western rivers will be seen as an "act of war" and responded to by force.
Goodbye to US GPS - China breaks its dependence after 20 ...
Pakistan and China have a strong partnership in space technology, and this includes Pakistan's adoption and utilization of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.
Key aspects of Pakistan's relationship with BeiDou:
Early Adoption: Pakistan was one of the first countries to use BeiDou outside of China.
Military Access: The Pakistan Armed Forces gained access to BeiDou for military purposes in 2018, which is significant because this allows for more precise guidance of missiles, ships, and aircraft and reduces reliance on other foreign GNSS like GPS.
Civilian Applications: BeiDou is also used in Pakistan for a variety of civilian applications, including:
Agriculture and fishery
Rescue missions and disaster management
Hydrological monitoring and weather forecasting
Land mapping and urban planning
Public security
Ground Stations: China has helped Pakistan establish ground stations (Continuously Operating Radar Stations or CORS) to enhance BeiDou's accuracy within the country. These ground stations improve the precision of geospatial applications like surveying and mapping.
Reduced Dependence on GPS: Pakistan's use of BeiDou reduces its reliance on the US-based Global Positioning System (GPS), which is important for national security, as it prevents potential disruption or manipulation of navigation services by a foreign power.
Enhancing Pakistan's Space Capabilities: The BeiDou system, combined with other forms of space cooperation with China, like the launch of remote sensing and communication satellites, helps to advance Pakistan's overall space program and technological capabilities.
Strategic Cooperation: The partnership over BeiDou is part of the broader defense and strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China.
In summary, Pakistan's adoption of the BeiDou system signifies a close strategic and technological partnership with China, providing benefits for both civilian and military applications while enhancing Pakistan's self-reliance in satellite navigation.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the move, reportedly taken under internal pressure, has lifted the lid on what was previously kept under wraps–India suffered heavy losses during Operation Sindoor.
The Indian armed forces suffered a major loss during the operation, particularly along the Line of Control, where over 250 fatalities were reported.
https://kmsnews.org/kms/2025/07/07/after-repeated-denial-india-finally-admits-deaths-of-rafale-pilots-250-soldiers.html#:~:text=New%20Delhi%3A%20After%20repeated%20denial,announcing%20military%20honours%20for%20them.
@warnesyworld
Spoke to #PakistanAirForce Chief ACM Zaheer Ahmed Baber yesterday. The PAF brought down the IAF's entire kill chain on May 5-10. Satellite downlinks were scuttled, radars jammed and GPS killed. IAF was fortunate not to lose more than four , yes four, Rafales.
https://x.com/warnesyworld/status/1942769008589090858
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Alan Warnes
@warnesyworld
It was no fault of the #Dassault #Rafale or #Thales #Spectra EW system that four were shot down. But the PAF's use of its new EW and cyber warfare ops in addition to the J-10/PL-15 combo. All part of a multi domain system created by the #PakistanAirForce CAS. I witnessed today.
https://x.com/warnesyworld/status/1942954111596384741
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/7/9/can-india-stop-pakistans-river-water-and-will-it-spark-a-new
Symbolism or substance?
Several water experts argue that India’s suspension of the IWT is more symbolic than immediately harmful to Pakistan.
Naseer Memon, an Islamabad-based environmental and water expert, called it a “political gimmick” designed to generate anxiety in Pakistan rather than alter water flows.
First, there’s international law, which Pakistan believes is on its side. “Modi is trying to portray that he would stop Pakistan’s water immediately. But legally, he cannot decide anything about the IWT unilaterally,” Memon told Al Jazeera.
Three weeks after India’s suspension of the treaty, Ajay Banga, the Indian-American president of the World Bank, also said that there is no provision in the IWT that allows a party to unilaterally suspend the treaty.
“There is no provision in the treaty to allow to be suspended. The way it was drawn up, it either needs to be gone or it needs to be replaced by another one. That requires the two countries to want to agree,” he said during a visit to New Delhi in May.
Geography and infrastructure also limit what India can do. Daanish Mustafa, professor of critical geography at King’s College London, argued that these factors protect Pakistan more than its policymakers on either side acknowledge. “The fanatic attachment to hydro-control in India and hydro-vulnerability in Pakistan is almost comical,” he told Al Jazeera.
Of the six rivers in the Indus Basin, the waters of three — the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — are in any case only for India’s use, under the IWT.
Of the three rivers whose waters belong to Pakistan, the Indus passes briefly through Indian-administered Kashmir and Ladakh. But Memon, the Islamabad-based expert, said that topography in the region means that the river passes through areas that are snowy, with little space for any canal diversion or agricultural projects. “Plus, there is not enough quantum of water in the Indus in that area which would make it feasible for India to build any project,” he said.
Indian hydroelectric projects on the remaining two rivers — the Kishenganga dam on the Jhelum, and Baglihar dam and the under-construction Ratle dam on the Chenab — have sparked concerns in Pakistan, which has protested against them under the IWT.
Islamabad alleges that the projects could allow India to lower water levels into Pakistan, and that the Kishenganga dam could also change the course of the Jhelum. New Delhi rejects these allegations.
In reality, experts say that as with the Indus, India lacks the ability to divert water from the Jhelum, too. The river passes through populated areas of Indian-administered Kashmir such as Baramulla and Jammu, Memon said. Any plans to construct a dam there could put the population at risk of inundation.
The case of the Chenab is different. Its waters “could be disturbed” by India, Memon said, though not in all seasons.
The expert says that the river has several potential sites where dams could be built. But even if India built a dam, Memon said, it would not be able to store much water during the summer season, when the flow of water is at its peak, as that could risk flooding India’s own population living near the project. To avoid that, India would need to allow water to flow downstream — into Pakistan.
Anuttama Banerji, a New Delhi-based political analyst and water specialist, agreed that India cannot “stop” the river flow, only regulate its release.
“The flow of the Chenab River can be regulated through dams and storage facilities, but India would need serious capital investment [for that]”, she said. “The threat won’t materialise for Pakistan in the immediate term.”
Still, warn many experts, just because India cannot at the moment stop water flow into Pakistan does not reduce either the value of the IWT as a weapon for New Delhi, or Islamabad’s vulnerability in the future.
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/when-you-turn-75-it-means-you-should-stop-mohan-bhagwat-signalling-to-pm-modi-3625487
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has once again fuelled speculations by claiming at a book launch in Nagpur that when one turns 75, they should stop and make way for others
By Beth Daley
Editor and General Manager
https://theconversation.com/chinas-insertion-into-india-pakistan-waters-dispute-adds-a-further-ripple-in-south-asia-258891
For 65 years, the Indus Waters Treaty has seen the two South Asian rivals share access and use of the Indus Basin, a vast area covered by the Indus River and its tributaries that also stretches into Afghanistan and China.
For much of that history, there has been widespread praise for the agreement as a successful demonstration of cooperation between adversarial states over a key shared resource. But experts have noted the treaty has long held the potential for conflict. Drafters failed to factor in the effects of climate change, and the Himalayan glaciers that feed the rivers are now melting at record rates, ultimately putting at risk the long-term sustainability of water supply. Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict over Kashmir, where much of the basin is situated, puts cooperation at risk.
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Using water as a weapon?
With it’s rivalry with India and its desire to simultaneously work with Pakistan on numerous issues, China increasingly sees itself as a stakeholder in the Indus Waters Treaty, too. Chinese media narratives have framed India as the aggressor in the dispute, warning of the danger of using “water as a weapon” and noting that the source of the Indus River lies in China’s Western Tibet region.
Doing so fits Beijing’ s greater strategic presence in South Asian politics. After the terrorist attack, China Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed China’s support for Pakistan, showcasing the relationship as an “all-weather strategic” partnership and referring to Pakistan as an “ironclad friend.”
And in response to India’s suspension of the treaty, China announced it was to accelerate work on the significant Mohmand hydropower project on the tributary of the Indus River in Pakistan.
Chinese investment in Pakistan’s hydropower sector presents substantial opportunities for both countries in regards to energy security and promoting economic growth.
The Indus cascade project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative, for example, promises to provide cumulative hydropower generation capacity of around 22,000 megawatts. Yet the fact that project broke ground in Gilgit-Baltistan, a disputed area in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, underscores the delicacy of the situation.
Beijing’s backing of Pakistan is largely motivated by a mix of economic and geopolitical interests, particularly in legitimizing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. But it comes at the cost of stirring up regional tensions.
As such, the alignment of Chinese and Pakistani interests in developing hydro projects can pose a further challenge to the stability of South Asia’s water-sharing agreements, especially in the Indus Basin. Recently, the chief minister of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, warned that Beijing’s hydro projects in the Western Tibet region amount to a ticking “water bomb.”
To diffuse such tensions – and to get the Indus Waters Treaty back on track – it behooves India, China and Pakistan to engage in diplomacy and dialogue. Such engagement is, I believe, essential in addressing the ongoing water-related challenges in South Asia.
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Pakistan Winter Crops Water Use
Google Search Labs | AI Overview
Based on the available information, Pakistan's water usage for winter crops (Rabi season) is substantial, but precise figures in acre-feet for the entire country are difficult to pinpoint from the search results alone.
Here's what can be gathered:
Significant Water Usage: Agriculture accounts for over 90% of Pakistan's total water consumption.
Wheat is a Major Winter Crop: Wheat is a major Rabi (winter) crop in Pakistan, with cultivation beginning in November and harvesting in April/May. In the 2015/16 Rabi season, the estimated water availability for the entire season was 25.3 million acre feet (MAF), against an average usage of 23.7 MAF.
@TheEconomist
Indian officials now admit to losing some aircraft in their recent conflict with Pakistan. They’re also starting to indicate the losses may not have stemmed from technological deficiencies
http://econ.st/4kGj2aX
https://x.com/TheEconomist/status/1946012090117812312
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They were used to hearing fighter jets from a nearby airbase. But this noise was louder and less familiar: a roar punctuated by repeated explosions. Residents of Akalia Kalan, a village in northern India, leapt from their beds as it grew closer in the early hours of May 7th. Outside, they saw a ball of flames pass overhead and crash into a nearby field. The wreckage was clearly identifiable as a fighter. Two bystanders died, according to villagers. The two Indian pilots had ejected earlier and were found, injured, in fields nearby.
India has yet to confirm it officially but this was one of a number of its fighter jets that were lost in a four-day conflict with Pakistan in May. The Indian government disputes Pakistan’s claim to have shot down six warplanes, including three of its new French Rafale jets. But foreign military officials believe that five Indian aircraft were destroyed, including at least one Rafale. And Indian military officers, while refusing to confirm numbers, do now admit to losing some aircraft. What is more, they are starting to indicate that the losses may have stemmed from Indian errors rather than technological deficiencies.
Source: Deccan Herald
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/self-reliance-in-uavs-counter-unmanned-aerial-system-strategic-imperative-for-india-general-chauhan-3632875
New Delhi: In the wake of Operation Sindoor that witnessed widespread military use of unmanned aerial vehicle for the first time in Southeast Asia,
Gen Chauhan’s comments come more than two months after the India-Pakistan conflict on the western front as Pakistan attacked Indian civilian and
military establishments by launching UAVs in 'waves' along with loitering munition and missile strikes.
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said self-reliance in drone technology is a “strategic imperative” for India as the country can’t win “today’s wars with yesterday’s weapons”.
Addressing a conference here, Gen Chauhan said UAVs had evolved as a “transformative force” that could shift the “tactical balance disproportionately.”
“For India, self-reliance in UAV and counter-UAV technologies is not only a strategic imperative, but also about safeguarding its interests and seizing the opportunities of the future,” he said.
Gen Chauhan’s comments come more than two months after the India-Pakistan conflict on the western front as Pakistan attacked Indian civilian and military establishments by launching UAVs in “waves” along with loitering munition and missile strikes
"Most of them were neutralised through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means. Some of them could be recovered in almost intact conditions," he said.
The CDS said Operation Sindoor demonstrated the need for indigenous development of UAS and C-UAS technologies, tailored to India's terrain and needs.
"We cannot rely on imported niche technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions; we must invest, build and safeguard ourselves. Dependence on foreign technologies weakens our preparedness, limits our ability to scale up production, results in a shortfall of critical spares for sustenance and round-the-clock availability,” he said.
Gen Chauhan cautioned that foreign weapons, sensors and their capabilities are known to all, and adversaries can "predict our tactics and doctrinal concepts" based on the capabilities of these systems. "But, if it developed on our own, then an element of surprise can be added, at least in initial encounters."
Underlining the criticality of evolution in weapon developments, the CDS said war fighting equipment like rifles, tanks and aircraft were becoming smaller, faster, lighter, more efficient and more affordable. "In today's warfare, you cannot win with yesterday's weapon systems. Today's warfare has to be fought with tomorrow's technology," he said.
"Asymmetric drone warfare is making large platforms vulnerable and driving militaries to rethink the conceptual aspects of air doctrines, development of C-UAS and adaptive moves of engagement," he added.
The CDS spoke at a workshop on UAV & C-UAS systems, organised by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies.
@warnesyworld
As I leave, I still don't understand why the #Thales #Spectra EW system was such a failure for the #IndianAirForce #Dassault #Rafale when coming up against the #PakistanAirForce #J10/ #PL15 combo. Surely one of the most advanced EW systems should have warned the Rafale pilots?
https://x.com/warnesyworld/status/1945828468735807750
@JayantBhandari5
So India did lose five planes a few hours after it started a fight with Pakistan. The IAF was grounded for two days. What an embarrassment! A small nation of Ukraine is more competent. Indians have to stop self-delusions and start being realistic.
https://x.com/JayantBhandari5/status/1946757503368503620
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Pravin Sawhney
@PravinSawhney
Folks, get real about PAF's Electronic Warfare capabilities seen in the air battle of May 6/7 night #operationsindhoor
Now, the PAF set up its Centre of AI & Computing (CENTAIC) in August 2020 - of course, with PLA help. CENTAIC priority project was Cognitive EW (EW with AI capabilities). For five years (2020-2025) surely the PAF was working & training on advanced EW.
Now, Rafale Spectra EW suite does not have AI supported EW.
Why? Ask
@IAF_MCC
.
Of course, good EW is one of the many reasons for PAF performance.
So, stop building narratives & focus on war preparedness - since Operation Sindoor has not ended. It has merely been paused by Prime Minister Modi!
https://x.com/PravinSawhney/status/1946751422902706191
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Rabia Akhtar
@Rabs_AA
HAL delays. Engine failures. Budget shortfalls. Meanwhile, India faces a two-front challenge. The Indian Air Force is in no shape for sustained deterrence, let alone escalation.
Sumit Ganguly hits hard: India’s Air Force Is in Crisis
https://x.com/Rabs_AA/status/1946605804678676607
"More than two months after engaging in brief combat operations with Pakistan, the Indian Air Force (IAF) finds itself in crisis. There were evident shortcomings in its performance during the May conflict—especially compared with its role in India’s wars with Pakistan in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999. In this year’s skirmish, the IAF lost several combat aircraft, though the precise number remains contested.
The IAF has a sanctioned strength of 42 operational squadrons, but its actual capabilities have shrunk to 31 squadrons at best due to India’s slow defense acquisition process. Worse still, in recent months, at least three of the IAF’s British-French Jaguar fighter jets have crashed during training operations, including in a July 9 incident that killed two pilots. The Jaguars were inducted into the IAF in 1979, and India still relies on them due to cost considerations and other hurdles"
Arnaud Bertrand
@RnaudBertrand
It's done: China just launched the construction of the Yarlung Tsangpo dam project (https://scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318875/chinas-li-qiang-announces-launch-tibet-mega-dam-project-has-worried-india).
It'll be by far the world’s largest hydroelectric facility, generating 3 times more electricity than the Three Gorges dam, 300 billion kilowatt-hours.
This dam project alone could power almost a quarter (21.6%) of all US households, since the average U.S. household consumes about 10,500 kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity per year (https://eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/electricity-use-in-homes.php) and there are 132 million households in the US (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TTLHH).
It could also power the entirety of France and Italy COMBINED, since the average electricity consumption in France is 2 223 kWh per person per year (https://particuliers.engie.fr/electricite/conseils-electricite/conseils-tarifs-electricite/consommation-moyenne-electricite-personne.html#:~:text=En%20France%2C%20la%20consommation%20moyenne,par%20r%C3%A9sidence%20principale%20(4)), the scale is almost too unfathomable to believe.
https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1946854532043899326
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China’s Li Qiang announces launch of Tibet mega dam project that has worried India
Premier Li Qiang attends groundbreaking ceremony for Yarlung Tsangpo dam on Tibetan Plateau with projected 300 billion kWh annual capacity
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318875/chinas-li-qiang-announces-launch-tibet-mega-dam-project-has-worried-india
Meredith Chen
Published: 10:41pm, 19 Jul 2025Updated: 10:47pm, 19 Jul 2025
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday announced the launch of a mega dam project on the Tibetan Plateau, in what is expected to be the world’s largest hydroelectric facility.
The massive project, located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, has raised concerns about water supply and environmental impact downstream in India and Bangladesh.
Li attended the dam’s groundbreaking ceremony in Nyingchi, a southeastern city in the Tibet autonomous region, state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.
The Yarlung Tsangpo becomes the Brahmaputra River as it leaves Tibet and flows south into India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states, and finally into Bangladesh.
Beijing first announced plans for the dam in 2020 under its five-year plan, as part of a broader strategy to exploit the hydropower potential of the Tibetan Plateau. The plan was approved last December.
The project is said to be the largest of its kind in the world, with an estimated annual capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity – three times that of the Three Gorges Dam.
However, it has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh about the impact on their water and food security. There are also worries about population displacement and major environmental disruption, as well as potential weaponisation of water by China, which could use the dam to cause floods or induce droughts.
China asserts that the project has undergone rigorous scientific evaluation and will not adversely affect the ecological environment, geological stability, or water resource rights of downstream countries. Beijing has also emphasised that it will not try to benefit at the “expense of its neighbours”.
Rather, the project could help in disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, and support climate change adaptation in downstream regions, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
The dam has reportedly prompted India to speed up its own hydropower projects on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh to assert water resource rights.
India maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of its territory, while China claims it as part of southern Tibet and has objected to other Indian infrastructure projects there.
The mega project in Tibet will have five cascade hydropower stations, with a total investment estimated at around 1.2 trillion yuan (US$167 billion), the Xinhua report said.
@Tiju0Prakash
Modi government’s reckless suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty has backfired, China has now begun construction on the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) project.
By breaking international norms, Modi handed upper riparian states like China a perfect excuse to do the same.
This isn’t strategy, it’s self-sabotage. India’s water security is now at serious risk.
#OperationSindoor
https://x.com/Tiju0Prakash/status/1946948939434934573
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Dr. Brahma Chellaney
@Chellaney
The Assam chief minister’s comments on China’s super-dam project are not just ill-informed — they exemplify the dangerous distortions that foster complacency in India. https://moneycontrol.com/news/india/no-immediate-cause-for-worry-over-china-s-dam-on-brahmaputra-himanta-sarma-13304241.html
A river’s perennial flow is sustained by mountain springs, upland wetlands or peat bogs, glacial melt, and perennial tributaries. In the case of the Brahmaputra, these enduring water sources lie more in Tibet than in India. Within India, it is the intense monsoonal rains that swell the river seasonally.
China’s super-dam will disrupt the Brahmaputra’s natural flow of nutrient-rich sediment from the Himalayas — a lifeline for the river’s ecological health. Depriving the river of this sediment will erode riverbeds, destabilize banks, degrade natural habitats, and shrink the delta and estuaries, rendering them more vulnerable to sea-level rise.
The super-dam will also disrupt the Brahmaputra’s natural flooding cycle, which sustains fisheries and rejuvenates overworked soils. Without the seasonal delivery of silt, the floodplains of Assam and Bangladesh will lose their natural fertility.
https://x.com/Chellaney/status/1947316820349719007
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Dawn.com
@dawn_com
India's Arunachal Pradesh chief minister says that the project, barely 50km from the border, can dry out 80pc of the river in the state while potentially inundating downstream areas in Arunachal and neighbouring Assam state.
https://x.com/dawn_com/status/1947276507476267313
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Jayant Bhandari
@JayantBhandari5
Modi said he would shut off river water flow to Pakistan. He has no mechanism to implement this. Now, China is building a dam upstream of one of the most important Indian rivers. India sets itself up for mind-boggling embarrassment and humiliation.
https://x.com/JayantBhandari5/status/1947227265164574879
@Tiju0Prakash
We’re losing air superiority.
IAF now has just 29 squadrons, dangerously close to Pakistan’s 25, who already shot down 6 of our jets, including Rafales.
China? 66 squadrons & 1,200 jets.
After 10 years in power, Modi govt failed to modernize our air force, cancelled crucial deals, delayed Tejas production, and now we're staring at a security crisis.
Photo-ops don’t defend borders. Strategy does.
https://x.com/Tiju0Prakash/status/1948671157177331985
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Fighter jets: Flying towards scary parity with Pakistan
With the last MiG-21s getting phased out, IAF will have almost the same number of fighters as PAF
By Rudroneel Ghosh
A squadron typically has 18-20 fighter jets. In two months’ time, India will have 522 fighter jets. Pakistan has 450, and China, 1,200.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/fighter-jets-flying-towards-scary-parity-with-pakistan/articleshow/122879702.cms
As of October, India will have 29 fighter jet squadrons, while Pakistan will have 25, resulting in near-parity.This reduction in India's squadrons is due to the retirement of the MiG-21. In contrast, China's air force boasts 66 fighter squadrons.
India's Fighter Jet Situation:
Squadron Count: India's fighter jet squadron number will drop to 29.
Historical Context: The Indian Air Force (IAF) was established in 1932 and has operated around 90 squadrons, including 31 with fighter aircraft.
Aircraft Types: The IAF operates a variety of combat, patrol, and transport aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs.
Key Squadrons: Of the 29 squadrons, only 13 are equipped with the modern Su-30 MKI and 2 with the Rafale.
Retirements: The MiG-21 is set to retire in September, contributing to the reduction in squadron numbers.
Current Need: The IAF is assessed to need 42 squadrons to be at full strength.
Modernization Efforts: India is looking to acquire 2-3 squadrons of fifth-generation fighter jets from the US or Russia, and also plans to build 114 modern 4.5+ generation fighters under the "Make in India" initiative.
Pakistan's Fighter Jet Situation:
Squadron Count:
Pakistan currently has 25 fighter jet squadrons.
Key Aircraft:
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) relies on the JF-17 Thunder, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and J-10C, according to a YouTube video.
JF-17 Backbone:
The JF-17, co-developed with China, forms the numerical backbone of the PAF.
Modernization:
The PAF has been modernizing and adapting its fleet, including incorporating the J-10C from China.
Deterrence:
The PAF has been shaped into a force focused on deterrence and tactical flexibility, with a focus on agility and a networked doctrine.
China's Air Force:
Squadron Count:
China's air force has a significantly larger number of fighter squadrons, with 66.
Advanced Capabilities:
China is also reportedly working on sixth-generation fighter jets and may provide fifth-generation aircraft to Pakistan.
@warnesyworld
Obviously a man who understands what happened on May 6/7 between the #IndianAirForce and #PakistanAirForce. Even if it won't go down well with many of his compatriots.
@PravinSawhney
https://x.com/warnesyworld/status/1949196288739905649
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Pravin Sawhney
@PravinSawhney
CDS Anil Chauhan has said that #OperationSindoor is still on.
This has been said to give escape route to the government to not discuss the air battle on May 7/8 night with the opposition in the Parliament.
Without this, rest is of little consequence because both sides have understood their operational gaps & will fill them swiftly with appropriate weapons acquisition.
The air battle is a different ballgame for four reasons:
1. It is about building a digital ecosystem to support air power to operate at beyond visual ranges. Putting this hardware & software is time consuming.
2. It is about pilot training to optimally operate a complex digital system which takes years of training, dedicated & focus
3. It is about advanced Electronic Warfare. This is what no nation shares with another.
4. Between India & Pakistan, the air war will largely determine the campaign outcome.
Moreover, no sensible nation uses its air power against a peer military competitor on non military targets deep within enemy territory. Worse, to believe that after such act the enemy, when informed, will not retaliate is to live in a fantasy world.
I have great difficulty in understanding India's political & military leadership!
https://x.com/PravinSawhney/status/1948932600266883538
@Tiju0Prakash
DEFENCE MINISTER Vs FOREIGN MINISTER
Can't fight with a bigger economy and won't fight with a smaller economy ðŸ˜
#OperationMahadev #LokSabha #RajnathSingh #OperationSindoor
https://x.com/Tiju0Prakash/status/1949882148715893147
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Tejasswi Prakash
@Tiju0Prakash
Rajnath Singh: Pakistan begged us to stop the war.
Rahul Gandhi: Pakistan begged us and you agreed to stop? Why? Why did you stop? Roka kyun 😡😡
Rajnath Singh: Bta rhe hai, Bta rhe hai ðŸ˜ðŸ˜¢ðŸ˜°ðŸ˜¥
RAGA 🙌🔥🔥🔥
#OperationMahadev
https://x.com/Tiju0Prakash/status/1949762640466567287
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Ashok Swain
@ashoswai
India's defense minister told Indian Parliament that Pakistan begged for ceasefire. When the leader of the opposition asked, why did they listen to Pakistan, there was complete silence.
https://x.com/ashoswai/status/1950004221442437595
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Tejasswi Prakash
@Tiju0Prakash
"... Operation Sindoor was nothing but a 'tamasha' of the government in the media. No one is telling us what was achieved in this Operation. How many terrorists were caught? How many fighter jets did we lose? Who is responsible and whose mistake is this, should be answered by the government..."
MP Praniti Shinde
#OperationSindoor #OperationMahadev #LokSabha #RajnathSingh
https://x.com/Tiju0Prakash/status/1949848841198411817
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Rabia Akhtar
@Rabs_AA
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@shashj
I would urge you to reconsider the framing of your comment. Critique is not 'trashing,' and disagreement is not necessarily grounded in ignorance. I did read the piece, I have access to
@TheEconomist
, and my response reflects a critical engagement with both its content and its underlying assumptions. If we are going to have intellectually honest conversations, then differing interpretations and worldviews must be acknowledged, not dismissed as false premises simply because they challenge dominant narratives.
The piece clearly states that early losses of Indian aircraft were attributed by foreign officials to Pakistan’s use of Chinese-made J-10s and PL-15 missiles. It also highlights that China may have tipped the balance by providing Pakistan with real-time targeting data. At the same time, the article notes India flew French Rafales possibly without Meteors and suggests inadequate electronic warfare capability and missing mission data, yet avoids treating this as a structural failure, instead portraying it as a tactical lapse or political miscalculation.
This asymmetric treatment is precisely what I critiqued: when Pakistan employs imported platforms successfully, the narrative becomes one of Chinese advantage; but when India suffers a setback with its own mix of French, Russian, and Israeli systems, the blame shifts to doctrine, leadership, or bad luck, anything but the inherent limitations of the platforms.
That is not a false premise. That is a deconstruction of the double standard.
If we are to have serious conversations on strategic affairs, we must allow space for perspectives that interrogate not just what is said, but how and why it is framed the way it is.
https://x.com/Rabs_AA/status/1950016147664863282