The Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India on Thursday (May 1) fact-checked a false claim made by several “pro-Pakistan” social media accounts that have claimed that Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, was sacked “for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan.

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The PIB clarified that Air Marshal SP Dharkar retired from his position on Wednesday (Apr 30) on superannuation from the Indian Air Force after completing 40 years of service.

In an X post, the PIB stated, “Several pro-Pakistan social media accounts have falsely claimed that Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has been sacked for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan.”

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“The claims being made in these posts are fake,” it added. “Air Marshal SP Dharkar retired as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 30 April 2025, on superannuation from the #IndianAirForce after completion of 40 years of service.”

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This comes amid the heightened tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that happened on April 22.

Who is Air Marshal SP Dharkar?

Air Marshal Sujeet P Dharkar became the vice-chief of the Indian Air Force last year in October. An IAF officer for around 40 years, he previously served as senior air staff officer of the South Western Air Command in Gandhinagar. 

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Air Marshal Dharkar has experience in handling space issues and expertise in ground attack roles. Originally, he was a MiG-23 and MiG-27 pilot.

As the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Dharkar looked over operations and intelligence. He is an alumnus of the US Air Force Air War College in Montgomery.

Pahalgam terror attack

On April 22, 26 people, mainly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam in a horrific terror attack. The region is a popular tourist spot and is located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. 

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Known as the ‘mini-Switzerland’ of India, Baisaran is a popular tourist spot and is located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. The meadow is accessible only on foot or by pony and is also a popular trekking location. The rugged, steep, and difficult-to-traverse terrain made it a likely target for terrorists.