New Delhi: With the Congress writing to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to initiate a privilege motion against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the controversy over military casualties suffered during Operation Sindoor continues to gather steam.
The Congress has accused Singh of furnishing false information on the floor of the House on Op Sindoor casualties. Singh, they allege, said India did not suffer any casualties even though five Army and one Air Force personnel lost their lives.
One of the six was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra and another the Vayu Sena Medal, while the Sena Medal (Gallantry) was conferred on the other four.
The controversy erupted after multiple media reports earlier this week presented the claim that the Government of India, for the first time, acknowledged military casualties incurred during Op Sindoor by engraving their names on Wall 3D of the National War Memorial in New Delhi under the 2025 section.
The six personnel whose names have been inscribed on the National War Memorial are Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, Rifleman Sunil Kumar (Vir Chakra-Posthumous), Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, Agniveer Mood Muralinaik, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh of the Indian Army; and Sergeant Surendra Kumar (Vayu Sena Medal-Posthumous) of the Indian Air Force.
Also Read: Hit by mortar shell, but still fighting—BSF heroes of Op Sindoor honoured with gallantry medals
Did armed forces try to hide casualties?
On 11 May, 2025, then Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, who is now military adviser to NSA Ajit Doval, began his press conference by paying respects to the fallen soldiers.
“I pay my solemn homage to my five fallen colleagues and brothers from the armed forces and civilians who tragically lost their lives in Operation Sindoor,” he said in a joint press conference, a day after Op Sindoor was paused. “Our hearts go out to the bereaved families. Their sacrifices shall always be remembered,” Lt Gen Ghai added.
Havildar Singh, one of the five Army personnel killed during Op Sindoor, had fought for his life in the military hospital and succumbed to injuries on 6 June, 2025.
The 16 Corps of the Indian Army in a tweet the next day announced his death and clearly stated that he made the supreme sacrifice for the country.
#GOC and all ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps pay heartfelt tribute to #Braveheart Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during #OpSindoor.
After sustaining grievous injuries, he battled valiantly during treatment at Command Hospital and passed… pic.twitter.com/RdPTW6WkO2
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) June 7, 2025
All five Army personnel killed during Operation Sindoor received proper military send-off by the concerned Commands. They were accorded last rites in their hometown with full military honours. This was covered by local media outlets at the time.
When the controversy first erupted on 27 June, the Ministry of Defence issued a statement referring to the official press conference held on 11 May, 2025, by Lt Gen Ghai. The statement added that these bravehearts were conferred gallantry awards posthumously, and the same was acknowledged in the press release dated 14 August, 2025.
“This constituted a formal and national recognition of their valour and supreme sacrifice in keeping with the highest traditions of the Indian Defence Forces,” the statement added. Simultaneously, the Army’s official social media handles carried tributes to these bravehearts without delay, it added.
During the Army Day Parade held at Jaipur on 15 January, 2026, the Chief of the Army Staff presented the Sena Medal (Gallantry) posthumously to families of three other Army officers. The Chief of the Air Staff did the same on 8 October, 2025 in a solemn ceremony.
The Ministry also said that with regard to the engraving of names of the fallen soldiers on the National War Memorial, it is emphasised that “this sacred process is governed by an established and well-defined protocol”.
“The Defence Forces follow these laid-down procedures with due diligence, care and reverence, commensurate with the solemnity of the honour being conferred. Any suggestion that due process was not followed is factually incorrect,” it said.
Did Rajnath Singh lie?
The privilege motion which the Congress has sought to move against the defence minister is based on his statement on 28 July, 2025. “Did our brave soldiers suffer any harm during this operation, to which the answer is no,” Singh had said.
A video of his remarks has been doing the rounds on social media.
This statement has been presented as an attempt by the Centre to conceal the names of military casualties suffered during Op Sindoor. Critics argue that this marks an insult not only to the deceased, but also to their families and the nation.
The MoD issued a statement saying it rejects the claim that the defence minister misled Parliament, arguing that his statement is being presented out of context.
The statement then goes on to contextualise the speech, arguing that the minister’s parliamentary address was meant to counter the false narrative that IAF pilots were killed.
The ministry said it was in direct reference to this false narrative that the minister made the statement now under scrutiny. Therefore, the ministry argues that the statement was a targeted rebuttal to that particular claim rather than a comprehensive assertion that no military casualties of any kind had occurred.
Interestingly, the minister’s counter in Parliament was actually regarding the loss of aircraft.
While addressing Parliament, Singh said: “…time and again, people from the Opposition have asked, how many jets did we lose? I believe this is not the right representation of national sentiment.
“If they want to ask questions, then their question should be: did India destroy terrorist bases? to which the answer is yes. If they want to ask questions, then their question should be: Was Operation Sindoor a success, to which the answer is yes…If they want to ask questions, then their question should be: did our brave soldiers suffer any harm during this operation? to which the answer is no.”
Bhuvan Gaur is an intern with ThePrint.
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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