India has lost one of its Rafale fighter jets, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier confirmed. However, the CEO clarified that the incident, which remains under investigation, was due to a high-altitude technical failure and not the result of any enemy action or hostile radar contact.
A French defence website Avion De Chasse quoted Trapper and reported that the mishap occurred “at an altitude of over 12,000 metres during an extended training mission”. The report clarified there was no enemy engagement involved.
The Indian government or the Indian Air Force (IAF) has not officially confirmed the loss of a Rafale aircraft under such circumstances. Last month, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, while addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, acknowledged that the IAF had suffered some losses during Operation Sindoor. He strongly refuted Pakistan’s claims of shooting down six Indian aircraft, including Rafales, calling the assertion “absolutely incorrect”.
In a separate interview with Reuters, General Chauhan said Indian forces re-entered Pakistani airspace on multiple occasions and “penetrated all their air defences with impunity,” executing precision strikes deep within enemy territory.
Rafale smear campaign by China?
A report by the Associated Press citing French military and intelligence officials claimed on Monday that China mobilised its embassies to question the performance of French-made Rafale fighter jets after their deployment in clashes between India and Pakistan in May.
The move is reportedly part of a wider campaign by Beijing to damage the reputation and global sales of France’s flagship combat aircraft.
Findings from a French intelligence service indicated that Chinese defence attaches stationed in foreign embassies actively sought to discredit the Rafale. Their efforts reportedly targeted countries that had already purchased the jet in a bid to discourage additional purchases and steer prospective buyers toward Chinese-made aircraft instead.