A senior French intelligence official has confirmed to CNN that one Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jet was shot down by Pakistan, marking what could be the first known combat loss of the French-made aircraft.
This confirmation follows Pakistan’s retaliation against India’s early Wednesday missile attack, during which Pakistan reportedly downed five Indian fighter jets. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, India launched 24 airstrikes across six locations inside Pakistani territory, prompting a swift response.
Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that Pakistan’s military downed five Indian jets—three Rafales, one MiG-29, one Su-series aircraft—and an Israeli-made Heron combat drone. The downings occurred in multiple locations, including Bhatinda, Jammu, Akhnoor, Srinagar, and Avantipur.
CNN reports that French authorities are now investigating whether more Rafale jets were also lost in the exchange. “We are aware of the confirmed loss of one Rafale and are currently examining reports suggesting additional aircraft may have been downed,” the French official told CNN.
Images circulating from the crash site in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) appear to show debris bearing French manufacturing labels. However, aviation experts have urged caution, noting that while some parts are identifiable as French-made, it remains unconfirmed if they specifically belong to a Rafale jet. “There are recognizable components from a French supplier,” one aviation analyst told CNN, “but it’s still too early to definitively identify the wreckage as Rafale.”
Following news of the downed Rafale jets, shares of Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of the Rafale, fell on the Paris Stock Exchange. The company’s stock declined by €5.40 (about 1.64%) to €324.
Defense analysts have suggested Dassault’s stock could drop further—by as much as 5%—as scrutiny increases over the Rafale’s combat performance. Meanwhile, investor sentiment appears to have shifted positively toward the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and its fleet of JF-17 and J-10C jets, co-developed with China, reflecting growing market confidence in their capabilities.
