Dassault Aviation, the French company behind the famous Rafale fighter jet, has strongly denied Pakistan’s recent claims that it shot down multiple Indian Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
According to Pakistan’s Air Force, they shot down five Indian Air Force jets—including three Rafales—using Chinese-made J-10C fighters equipped with PL-15E long-range missiles. This claim was made during a military clash that began on May 7. However, Pakistan did not provide any evidence to support this statement, raising doubts internationally.
Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, quickly responded to these reports. He clarified that India did lose one Rafale during Operation Sindoor, but the loss was due to a technical failure at a high altitude—not because of enemy action. Trappier called Pakistan’s claims “inaccurate and unfounded.”
To make things even clearer, Dassault Aviation released an official statement. The company denied that Trappier had made any comments about the operational or technical use of Rafale jets in the conflict. They emphasized that no official from Dassault had confirmed any shootdowns by Pakistan.
India’s Defence Secretary, RK Singh, also spoke out on the matter. In an interview with CNBC TV18, he said, “You have used the term Rafales in the plural, I can assure you that is absolutely not correct.” He stressed that Pakistan’s losses were much higher, both in terms of people and equipment, and that over 100 terrorists were neutralized during the operation.
India’s Defence Attaché to Indonesia, Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, did mention that India lost some fighter jets at the start of Operation Sindoor. However, he explained these losses happened because the Indian military was initially ordered not to attack Pakistani military bases or air defences, but only terrorist camps in Islamabad. According to him, these restrictions made operations more challenging and led to some aircraft losses, but not as many as Pakistan claimed.
French intelligence services have recently found that Chinese diplomats were leading a disinformation campaign against the Rafale jet. Their goal was to make other countries doubt the Rafale’s performance and instead consider buying Chinese-made aircraft. After Pakistan’s claims, several countries started questioning the Rafale’s abilities.
France’s defence ministry described this as a “vast campaign of disinformation” designed to hurt the reputation of the Rafale and promote Chinese alternatives. The ministry said the attacks were not just about one aircraft, but about damaging France’s image as a reliable and technologically advanced defence partner.
Despite these controversies, the Rafale remains a popular choice for air forces around the world. Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafale jets, with 323 of those exported to countries like Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the UAE, Serbia, and Indonesia.
In summary, both Dassault Aviation and Indian officials have denied Pakistan’s claims of shooting down Rafale jets. The only confirmed loss was due to a technical issue, not enemy fire. Meanwhile, evidence suggests that a coordinated disinformation campaign was launched to damage the Rafale’s reputation and promote rival jets. Despite these challenges, the Rafale continues to be a trusted and sought-after fighter jet globally.
Note: This article also includes statement from Dassault’s Aviation.