Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan broke three weeks of silence by confirming India lost fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, stating the military "understood tactical mistakes" and "remedied them" after the first day. His admission sparked immediate political controversy, with Congress demanding transparency about the exact losses and accusing the government of misleading the public.
The revelation came as Colombia retracted its condolence statement for Pakistani casualties following pressure from Shashi Tharoor's delegation, marking a diplomatic victory for India. Trump repeated his claims of preventing nuclear war between the two nations, while Pakistan's army chief declared the Indus Waters Treaty a "Lakshman Rekha" that would never be crossed.
Modi addressed a women's conference in Bhopal, calling Operation Sindoor the "biggest anti-terror operation in India's history" and warning Pakistan that "bullets will be answered with shells." The government conducted Operation Shield mock drills across six border states, featuring simulated blackouts and rescue operations.