Pakistani J-10 Jets Took Down Indian Rafales in India-Pakistan Aerial Clash

Tensions between India and Pakistan peaked on Wednesday when Pakistan's military reported it had shot down 5 Indian fighter aircraft, including a French-built Dassault Rafale, as part of self defense measures against an Indian missile attack on Pakistan.

The aerial clashes came following an Indian missile attack on Pakistani 'terrorist sites' codenamed 'Operation Sindoor' meant to retaliate for the militant attack that killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in Pahalgam earlier this month. According to Pakistan, the Indian strikes only killed civilians, and targeted religious institutions.

Pakistan's military spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated that no Indian aircraft had crossed into Pakistani airspace, while India denied it had lost any jets, and insist that Operation Sindoor was "successful", despite the images of downed Indian jets on social media.

Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to Reuters confirmed that Pakistan used Chinese-built J-10 fighter jets to shoot down at least two Indian aircraft, the first use of the J-10 in combat. A French intelligence official told CNN that one Rafale was lost, a negative milestone for an advanced 4.5 generation fighter jet that had never been destroyed in combat.

The claimed downing of Rafale jets raises questions about the performance of the $115 million aircraft. France’s Dassault Aviation and missile manufacturer MBDA did not comment on the events so far. Dassault stock price declined following the events.