Dassault Aviation, the French aerospace manufacturer of the Rafale fighter jet, has officially refuted claims that its CEO, Eric Trappier, made any comments regarding the loss of Rafale aircraft during the Indian Air Force's (IAF) Operation Sindoor. The company issued a formal clarification to NDTV, stating that Trappier made no such operational or technical remarks about the Rafale's use in the operation.
This denial follows circulating rumors and media reports alleging a fratricide incident or technical failure involving IAF Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor was reportedly a military exercise or operation conducted by the IAF. Dassault Aviation has dismissed these claims as baseless and emphasized that no such incident involving IAF Rafale jets occurred. The company's statement aims to correct the record and dispel speculation surrounding the operational integrity of the Rafale fleet in service with the IAF.
The denial from Dassault Aviation came after a French defense website, Avion De Chasse, quoted Trappier as saying that India lost one Rafale fighter jet due to a technical malfunction at high altitude, not due to enemy action. The website reported that the incident occurred at an altitude of over 12,000 meters during an extended training mission. However, Dassault has distanced itself from these remarks, stating that Trappier made no such comment.
Operation Sindoor and Pakistan's Claims The denial also follows claims made by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) during the Indo-Pakistan military clash that began on May 7. The PAF alleged that it shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, using Chinese-origin PL-15E missiles launched from J-10C aircraft. These claims were not supported by concrete evidence or verified combat footage. Trappier dismissed Pakistan's claim of downing three Rafales as "inaccurate".
Indian officials have also denied the Pakistani claims. India's Defence Secretary, RK Singh, stated that Pakistan suffered far heavier losses in both manpower and equipment. He asserted that it was "absolutely not correct" that multiple Rafales were lost in the conflict. Earlier, Indian Navy Captain and Defence Attaché to Indonesia, Shiv Kumar, acknowledged that some Indian aircraft were lost during the opening phase of Operation Sindoor, attributing this to early restrictions imposed by political leadership, which limited Indian strikes to terrorist infrastructure and avoided targeting Pakistani military assets directly. However, he did not confirm the type of aircraft involved.
China's Disinformation Campaign Amidst these claims and denials, French intelligence has accused China of orchestrating a disinformation campaign to discredit French-made Rafale fighter jets following India's Operation Sindoor. The campaign allegedly involved Chinese embassies lobbying countries like Indonesia to avoid further Rafale purchases, promoting Chinese alternatives instead. This campaign included social media posts, manipulated imagery, and AI-generated content.
Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, with 323 exports to countries including Egypt, India, Qatar, the UAE, and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more.
The Rafale has been a cornerstone of India's air defense strategy since its induction in 2020, with 36 jets delivered as part of a government-to-government deal with France. Operation Sindoor was India's first major Rafale-led operation since the aircraft's induction.
The Indian Air Force has not yet issued an official comment on the matter.
