India categorically countered Chinese state-media daily Global Times spreading lies and suggesting the Pakistani air force brought down three Indian combat jets as revenge after Operation Sindoor conducted on early May 7 afternoon destroyed nine camps belonging to terror organisations located within Pakistan and Pak occupied Kashmir as punishment for cruel terror strikes killing 26 noncombatant citizens at Pahalgam and amongst whom were an equal one national belonging to Nepal.
On Wednesday, Global Times ran a report citing unidentified Pakistani military officials and Xinhua, reporting that “the Pakistan Air Force has shot down another Indian fighter jet in retaliation for overnight airstrikes.” The report went on to claim, “This is the third Indian fighter jet that has been shot down in response to the overnight strikes, said the military sources: Xinhua.”
India Swings into Action and Stands Firm
Responding to the report, the Indian Embassy in Beijing shared a series of denials on X, specifically targeting the Global Times handle. “Dear @globaltimesnews, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of dis-information,” one read.
(1/n) Dear @globaltimesnews , we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of dis-information. https://t.co/xMvN6hmrhe
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) May 7, 2025
The Embassy also vocally condemned not only the allegations themselves, but also the larger phenomenon of dissemination of misinformation. “Several pro-Pakistan handles are spreading baseless claims in the context of #OperationSindoor, attempting to mislead the public. When media outlets share such information without verifying sources, it reflects a serious lapse in responsibility and journalistic ethics,” it added.
Fake Visuals and Misinformation Exposed
The Embassy additionally explained that prior images circulated regarding crashed airplanes had nothing to do with today’s conflict. “@PIBFactCheck had brought to light instances of fake news with old images showing crashed aircrafts being re-circulated in various forms in the current context of #OperationSindoor.” one report added. For instance, one was related to a crash involving a MiG-29 airplane in 2024 in Rajasthan and the other to one in a MiG-21 in Punjab in 2021.
Returning to the Pahalgam Massacre
India reaffirmed the background of Operation Sindoor, citing the April 22 attack in Pahalgam. “On April 22, 2025, Pakistani and Pakistan-trained terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out a savage terror attack on Indian tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir in India. They targeted a particular community by asking people to identify themselves by their religion and murdered 26 people.”
The assault was characterized by brutal killings. “Family members were deliberately traumatized through the manner of the killing, accompanied by the exhortation that they should take back the message,” it stated, further substantiating the operation’s imperative.
(5/n) The attack in Pahalgam was marked by extreme barbarity, with the victims mostly killed with head-shots from close range and in front of their families.
Family members were deliberately traumatized through the manner of the killing, accompanied by the exhortation that they… pic.twitter.com/9pQamF6btj
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) May 7, 2025
Terror Links and Global Reporting
The Embassy pointed out that the terrorist organization The Resistance Front (TRF), which took responsibility for the attack in Pahalgam, is actually a front organization for the UN-listed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. “India had provided information regarding the TRF in the half-yearly report to the Monitoring Team of the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee during May and November 2024,” the post stated.
India has also condemned Pakistan’s efforts to delete mentions of TRF from the April 25 UN Security Council Press Statement. “Pakistan’s efforts to have references to TRF. deleted. are interesting in this context,” the post further wrote.
India’s Stand: Measured and Justifiable Response
In sum, India justified its military action as necessary and proportionate. “India accordingly exercised its right to respond and pre-empt as well as deter more such cross-border attacks,” the Embassy said. “These actions were measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible. They were aimed at destroying the terrorist infrastructure and incapacitating terrorists likely to be dispatched across to India.”
The message concluded with a greater appeal to world opinion: “The world should have zero tolerance for terrorism.”
