India Pakistan conflict: Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, has firmly rejected Pakistan’s claims that it shot down three Indian Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor. Speaking to Challenges, a French magazine, Trappier said, “The reports of Indian Rafales being lost are not accurate,” adding that Dassault had received no official communication from the Indian Air Force (IAF) indicating any such losses.
He emphasised the importance of judging modern air operations by mission success rather than potential losses. “What we already know is that what the Pakistanis are saying [three Rafales destroyed] is inaccurate,” Trappier stated. Drawing a comparison to World War II, he noted, “It was not said that the Allies had lost the war because they had lost troops,” hinting that full details of Operation Sindoor may not yet be publicly known.
What Pakistan said on the downing of Rafales?
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had earlier claimed that Pakistani forces downed five Indian aircraft including three Rafales and captured Indian soldiers during a retaliatory attack following India’s airstrikes during Operation Sindoor. These strikes were in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. However, Pakistan has not released any evidence to support these claims.
Defence analysts in India have largely dismissed the Pakistani narrative as propaganda. The IAF, while maintaining operational secrecy, has not confirmed any aircraft losses. Instead, IAF sources suggest that Operation Sindoor inflicted significant damage on Pakistani military infrastructure.
Trappier says Rafale outperforms Chinese, US rivals in versatility
While Trappier declined to comment directly on the India-Pakistan conflict, he reiterated the Rafale’s reputation as a premier multirole fighter. “If you want a single aircraft capable of air-to-air combat, reconnaissance, ground strikes, nuclear deterrence, and aircraft carrier deployment, Rafale is unmatched,” he said.
He acknowledged the stealth advantage of the American F-22 in air-superiority scenarios but maintained that Rafale is superior to the F-35 in real-world versatility and performance. “It’s far better than anything China currently offers,” he added, days ahead of the Paris Air Show.
Rafale’s deployment in Operation Sindoor marked its first major combat role since joining the IAF in 2020. Indian defence experts view the Rafale as a game-changer in South Asian aerial dynamics, offering a qualitative edge over regional adversaries.