Pakistan has been making persistent efforts to substantiate claims that India lost Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor. In this context, several Pakistan-based accounts have been actively spreading misinformation regarding the Indian Air Force’s capabilities and alleged fighter jet losses.
One such account, Clash Report, posted a widely circulated claim stating: “Pakistan Air Force dismantled Indian Air Force’s entire kill chain between May 5–10—jamming radars, cutting satellite links, and disrupting GPS. India lost four Rafales.”
This narrative has been echoed by multiple other accounts, which can be seen [here] and [here].
Fact Check
Upon investigation, we found the claim to be misleading.
There are no credible reports from reputable international or Indian media outlets verifying such extensive electronic warfare jamming by Pakistan. Furthermore, according to an NDTV report, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has publicly refuted Pakistan’s claim of downing three Rafale jets.
In an interview with the French magazine Challenges, Trappier stated: “What Pakistan is claiming about downing three Rafales is simply not true.” He emphasized that no official communication from the Indian Air Force indicated any such losses, and Dassault has no record of Rafale combat casualties during that time.
Additionally, in a report by The New Indian Express, Eric Trappier was quoted as saying that no Rafale was shot down in combat, but India had lost one jet due to a technical failure, and a probe into the incident is currently underway.
Conclusion
The viral claim is false. Neither the disruption of India’s military systems nor the loss of four Rafales is supported by facts.
