ISLAMABAD: A senior French naval commander has confirmed that Pakistan downed Indian Rafale fighter jets during the May 2025 conflict, attributing the losses to Indian pilot error rather than any technical fault with the French-made aircraft.
Captain Jacques Launay, who commands the French Naval Air Base at Landivisiau — home to Rafales equipped with nuclear-capable missiles — made the remarks at an Indo-Pacific conference in Brussels. With more than 25 years of operational experience flying Rafales across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, Launay said the Indian Air Force failed due to poor operational use, while Pakistan’s air defence system operated with “strong precision and planning.”
Launay said the aerial clash involved more than 140 fighter jets on both sides, and that Pakistan “managed the situation more effectively than India.” He dismissed suggestions that Chinese aircraft were responsible for the Rafale losses, asserting instead that Pakistan’s radar handling, defensive tactics and coordinated air-defence strategy shaped the outcome.
He added that Rafales remain fully capable of defeating Chinese aircraft when deployed with proper doctrine and training.
The French commander also disclosed India’s ongoing interest in acquiring naval Rafales — carrier-capable aircraft that can also carry nuclear missiles. Defence analysts say the detailed assessment of the 2025 confrontation is drawing global attention, offering rare insights into pilot performance, aircraft capability and missile effectiveness under real combat conditions.
A Reuters investigation has detailed how Pakistan shot down an Indian Rafale fighter jet during the May 2025 conflict, blaming the loss on a major Indian intelligence failure. According to the report, the Pakistan Air Force used a Chinese-made J-10C armed with a PL-15 long-range missile, which Indian forces failed to detect or assess correctly. The missile struck the Rafale from nearly 200 km away, triggering a drop in the French manufacturer’s share price.
The report says Pakistan’s radar network tracked dozens of Indian jets on 7 May, prompting Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to order a targeted operation against the Rafales. A senior PAF officer said Sidhu specifically instructed units to “focus on the Rafale.”
India later acknowledged it had misjudged the PL-15’s range. Analysts say nearly 110 aircraft were involved, making it the biggest India-Pakistan air engagement in decades. The report also highlights Pakistan’s claims of successful electronic warfare.
