Did India lose Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan? Dassault Aviation says...

Dassault Aviation has issued a press release, refuting that its chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Eric Trappier had made any comments about the use of Rafale fighter jets in India's Operation Sindoor, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday. "Dassault Aviation formally denies that Eric Trappier has made any operational or technical comments regarding the use of the Rafale in this operation," the French company said in its statement, as per the report. Earlier, media reports had quoted Trappier as saying that India lost one Rafale combat jet in the operation against Pakistan due to a technical failure.

What did reports say?
Several media reports said that Trappier claimed the loss of one aircraft during the operation due to a "technical failure at a high altitude." It should be noted that Pakistan has repeatedly claimed that its military shot down five fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), including three Rafales. The Dassault CEO has previously denied Pakistan's claims, which were made without any evidence.

In response to certain press reports quoting Dassault Aviation Chairman & CEO, Eric Trappier, about the Sindoor operation, Dassault Aviation formally denies that Eric Trappier has made any operational or technical comments regarding the use of the Rafale in this operation. pic.twitter.com/dZWEed9uj0

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2025

Is Rafale being targeted?
Authorities in France have said that a "disinformation campaign" was being run against Dassault's Rafale fighter jets. The vast campaign "sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design," according to a statement from the French defence ministry. "The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base," the statement added.

India-Pakistan conflict
India launched coordinated precision strikes on numerous terrorist bases in Pakistan on May 7, two weeks after a brazen terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, as New Delhi said the involved terrorists were associated with outfits operating from across the border. In retaliation, Pakistan launched a series of attacks using drones and missiles, most of which were intercepted mid-air by Indian air defense systems. A ceasefire between the two nations was announced following four days of hostilities, on May 10.