Credibility and safeguarding truth is the first thing a nation's character is known, losing aircrafts is not a big point in a skirmish battle, what the world, USA and Pakistan laughs, looks down on and makes a big joke about is, everyone now knows IAF losses and India's actual claims, yet keep lying flat like a broken record. Pakistan has dented India's credibility, its exposed Indian media and political government. Made a world-wide crap about a 1.2 billion Indians by hitting the Indian's narrowed minded Chanakya psyche.
The more truth India hides, and the more cover-ups it makes, it keeps destroying the leftover little credibility of the biggest democracy. India hides a couple of jets downed, a helicopter down, unsuccessful balakot strike and false claims of F16 shot down, while every proofs and imagery exposes Indian claims....its even can not defend its claims properly.
In-fact it has battered international image of India badly. Indians look narrow minded and naive.
Look at Russia when its jet was shot by Turkey, it was not hidden/covered up but Russia actually admitted it and came out loud to take revenge of it. India on the other hand is total opposite, a laughing lying clown in world.
