IAF veteran calls for transparency on Rafale losses

Concerns raised

■   Delays in aircraft supply, talent shortages, and the gap between sanctioned and operational squadrons

■   India currently has only 31 squadrons, which is substantially lower than the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons

■   All three armed forces are short of manpower by over 10 %

■   Criticised Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for failing to deliver the Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets on time, echoing the Air Chief Marshal AP Singh’s statement on delays in supply of fighter jets

metro india news  I hyderabad

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 defense 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 percent, 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 defence 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.