Who suffered more losses when India and Pakistan clashed in May in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terrorist attack? More importantly, which air force lost more fighter jets? Did the Chinese-made jets and long-range missiles make it possible for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to bring down its counterpart’s prized Rafales?
These pressing questions remain largely unanswered even months after the conflict ended. Pakistan's misinformation campaign and digital propaganda push were miles ahead during the conflict and even in the weeks following, although the country's military elite were unable to provide any solid evidence of having brought down the IAF's Rafale jets despite making repeated claims.
In July, US President Donald Trump claimed that during the clashes between the two nuclear-armed neighbours between May 7 and 10, five fighter aircraft were brought down in the exchange of fire. However, he didn't mention how many jets were lost on either side.
Trump mentioned the downing of fighter jets reportedly during a dinner with some Republican lawmakers at the White House. Although he didn't give any further details, Trump did say that these were fighter jets airborne and not those stationed at any of the airbases that were struck as tensions escalated. "You had India, Pakistan, that was going… in fact, planes were being shot out of the air... four or five. But I think five jets were shot down actually… that was getting worse and worse, wasn't it?... That was looking like it was going to go, these are two serious nuclear countries, and they were hitting each other," he said. Trump was quoted as saying to the MPs.
Pakistani claims debunked by US
Now, a report by the US Congressional panel has categorically mentioned that India lost only three planes during the conflict. The US–China Economic and Security Review Commission, in its 2025 Annual Report, said that "only three jets flown by India’s military were reportedly downed" by Islamabad's forces. Ruling out Islamabad’s boastful claims, the report in the same line adds that "all [the lost three] may not have been Rafale".
Pakistan was greatly aided by Chinese propaganda machinery, which propagated AI and video game images of supposed “debris” from IAF's Rafale jets that were destroyed during the conflict, the report further said. This was a well-executed move to boost the sale of its own weapons and aircraft that Pakistan used.
"Pakistan’s use of Chinese weapons to down French Rafale fighter jets used by India also became a particular selling point for Chinese Embassy defence sales efforts despite the fact that only three jets flown by India’s military were reportedly downed and all may not have been Rafales. According to French intelligence, China initiated a disinformation campaign to hinder sales of French Rafales in favour of its own J-35s, and it used fake social media accounts to propagate AI and video game images of supposed ‘debris’ from the planes China’s weaponry destroyed," the report said.
The Indian Air Force had accepted having suffered some initial setbacks before making tactical adjustments, which gave New Delhi complete upper hand as the fighting progressed. Pakistan had initially claimed to have downed five IAF aircraft, including three Rafales, before increasing the total planes taken out to six, without providing any credible evidence. Later, IAF Chief Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh said that Indian air defence surface-to-air missile systems brought down five Pakistani jets along with the critical Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C).
"We have at least five fighters confirmed kills and one large aircraft — which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW&C aircraft — which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he had said.
Meanwhile, a report in Eurasian Times pointed out that French Air Force Chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger in July had claimed to have seen evidence indicating three Indian losses — a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi, and a Mirage 2000 — during the conflict.
India-Pakistan tensions 2025
India launched Operation Sindoor, a military campaign against terrorist hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in May in retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre.
The attack sparked a brief but intense military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours, with Pakistan launching a drone strike on India. The Indian forces hit back, inflicting heavy damage on several military installations and airbases inside Pakistan.
