Fact check: Pakistan really did take down a number of Indian Rafale jets

1. Summary of the results

The claim about Pakistan taking down "a number" of Indian Rafale jets cannot be definitively confirmed. While Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales ^[1], the evidence presented is largely inconclusive or has been debunked. Multiple images circulated as proof have been proven to be from unrelated past incidents ^[2] or, in one specific case, were actually images of an external fuel tank from a 1984 Mirage 2000 - predating the Rafale program entirely ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

• India has neither officially confirmed nor denied the claims ^[4], with one Indian Air Force official cryptically stating that "losses are a part of combat" ^[4]
• Three fighter jets did crash in Indian-controlled territory, according to Indian security sources ^[4]
• Only one potential Rafale loss has been suggested by independent sources, specifically a French intelligence source speaking to CNN ^{[2] [2]}
• The PIB Fact Check has identified some of the circulated images as being from a 2021 MiG-21 crash ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

There are several potential sources of misinformation and bias:

• Pakistani military interests: The Pakistani Air Force claims to have video evidence, radar data, and pilot communication logs ^[1], but these haven't been independently verified
• Indian strategic concerns: Defense analysts suggest India would be reluctant to publicly confirm such losses ^[4], which could explain their ambiguous responses
• Disinformation campaign: Defense experts characterize Pakistan's claims as part of a "sophisticated disinformation apparatus" ^[5]
• Media verification challenges: While major news outlets like Reuters and CNN have reported on the incidents, their reporting relies heavily on unnamed sources and unconfirmed claims ^[4]

The situation appears to be clouded by military secrecy, strategic communication, and active disinformation efforts from multiple sides, making it difficult to establish the exact number of aircraft losses, if any.