The US Won’t Say if Pakistan Lost F-16s in ‘Operation Sindoor,’ Tells Everyone to ‘Ask Pakistan’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 13, 2025:The U.S. government is staying mum on whether Pakistan lost any of its American-made F-16 fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, that big military dust-up with India back in May. This is a change from how they talked about things before, and it’s got people wondering just how bad Pakistan’s losses really were.

When asked, the State Department told reporters, “Talk to Pakistan about their F-16s.” A lot of people see that as them dodging the question about something that matters big time around the world. This all comes as India is saying loud and clear that they did a number on Pakistan’s military stuff, including their planes.

The Fight and What India Says

That four-day fight, Operation Sindoor, kicked off between May 7 and May 10. India started it after a really awful terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, where 26 tourists were killed.

India’s military answer, with those pinpoint strikes, made Pakistan come back swinging in the air. This led to a serious air fight and attacks on military places.

Recently, Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Amar Preet Singh talked about how well the operation went. He said the IAF shot down six Pakistani planes, with five being fighters.

Air Chief Marshal Singh also said that Indian strikes hit a bunch of Pakistani airbases, like the one in Jacobabad, where they supposedly took out an F-16 hangar.

The IAF chief hinted that some F-16s getting fixed at that Jacobabad hangar probably got wrecked in the strike. This has made what is already a tense back-and-forth between two countries with nukes even bigger.

U.S. Watches Closely and What Happened Before

The U.S. keeps a close watch on Pakistan and those 76 F-16 fighter jets they have. The idea is to be sure the planes are used to fight terrorists, not to go after India.

So, the story goes, there are U.S. teams in Pakistan checking on the F-16s. They’re supposed to know what’s up with every single jet all the time.

This month’s reaction from the U.S. is different from what happened back in 2019 after those Balakot airstrikes. Back then, when India said they shot down a Pakistani F-16, U.S. defense people quickly did a count and confirmed it was real.

Foreign Policy magazine said back in 2019 that two senior U.S. defense officials said they counted Pakistan’s F-16s, and none were missing. That went right against what India was saying then.

Experts and reporters are pointing out that the State Department isn’t doing that now. They see it as the U.S. changing how they act.

What’s Not Being Said and What Pakistan Is Saying

Because the U.S. isn’t saying anything clear, there are all sorts of stories going around. India’s got their military leaders talking and some stuff from the internet to back them up.

Pakistan is saying flat out that they didn’t lose any F-16s and that India’s claims are not possible. Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, has even told India to get an international group to check both countries’ planes.

Pakistan claims their forces really hurt the Indian Air Force, saying they shot down six IAF fighters, including some expensive ones. India is taking those claims with a grain of salt and firing back with their own claims.

People are wondering why Washington is staying quiet. Some think the U.S. doesn’t want to make things worse between two countries that matter to them.

Another thought is that saying Pakistan lost planes would be bad for a country that helps fight terrorists. It might also show that those American fighter jets aren’t so hot, which the U.S. wants to avoid.

The Bigger Picture and What It Means

This F-16 thing is a small piece of a bigger puzzle in the area. Operation Sindoor showed that India’s getting stronger militarily and is ready to hit back hard when terrorists cross the border.

The operation also showed how well India’s new air defenses work, especially that S-400 Triumf, which the IAF Chief called a game-changer. They say that the S-400 took down a Pakistani plane from 300 kilometers away.

The fight has been bad for Pakistan’s money situation, too. When Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian flights, that reportedly cost the country over Rs 1,240 crore.

The U.S. not commenting on the F-16 thing looks like they’re trying to be careful. It shows how tricky it is to deal with both India and Pakistan, especially when things are tense.

This whole thing shows why those U.S. agreements to watch where weapons go are so important. The fact that they were quick to talk in 2019 but are quiet now suggests the U.S. might be playing a careful balancing act.

This could affect how the U.S. sells weapons and works with both countries on defense in the future. Not being open about things might make people question how well the U.S. watches things and how committed they are to those agreements.

What’s Next?

With both sides sticking to their stories and the U.S. not saying anything, it doesn’t look like anyone will ever know the real story for sure. The fight over who is telling the truth will probably keep going.

India hasn’t said anything about Pakistan wanting an international check. This makes it even harder to know who is right.

This is a good example of how military information works today. It shows how claims and counterclaims can be used when there’s no one to check the facts.

Because the U.S. isn’t denying anything, and the IAF is giving details, and the internet is finding stuff that seems to agree with India, India’s claims seem more believable to the public.

This isn’t just about lost planes; it’s about who has the power in South Asia, how countries try to keep each other in check, and the tricky world of alliances and agreements. Defense experts and leaders will be watching this closely for a while.

Reported by: Herohind News Desk