Rafale Controversy Ignites: Former Fighter Pilot Calls for Modi to Clarify Indian Air Force Losses

A political tempest is unfolding in India following shocking allegations that the nation’s esteemed Rafale fighter jets might have been downed by Pakistani aircraft amid recent cross-border conflicts. A senior minister from Telangana and ex-Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot is calling for complete transparency from the central government. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Telangana’s Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies and a leader of the Congress Party, has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration of hiding vital information regarding supposed combat losses involving the IAF’s most advanced aircraft.

“We are pleased with the safe return of Indian Air Force pilots after they successfully completed their missions,” Reddy stated during a press conference in New Delhi. “However, the central government needs to clarify the reports that our fighter jet has been shot down.” “The government should also disclose how many Pakistani fighter jets were downed,” he continued, expressing skepticism about the narrative presented by the Modi-led BJP government concerning the ongoing conflict.

Reddy, a persistent critic of Modi’s BJP, charged the ruling party with politicizing genuine defense issues by labeling Congress Party leaders as “unpatriotic” whenever inquiries are made. “If our leader Rahul Gandhi had made the same statement, the BJP leaders would have initiated a significant campaign against him.” “Democratic accountability is essential in this operation. It should not be associated with patriotism.” “Will they question the patriotism of CDS Anil Chauhan? No one is more patriotic than the Gandhi family,” he contended.

Reddy also criticized Modi’s silence on controversial comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who publicly mentioned an India-Pakistan ceasefire before it was officially declared by the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries.

Reddy’s comments followed a shocking interview with Bloomberg in Singapore, where India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, for the first time acknowledged that the IAF had indeed experienced aircraft losses during the recent confrontation with Pakistan. While General Chauhan did not disclose the exact number of aircraft lost, he confirmed the event, stating, “The key issue is not whether the aircraft was downed, but why it went down.”

He firmly rejected Pakistani assertions of having downed six IAF jets as “completely inaccurate,” yet he notably avoided providing any specific figures or alternative explanations. “Numbers are not important,” Chauhan emphasized, instead highlighting tactical errors: “What is good is that we understood the mistakes, corrected them, and within 48 hours launched retaliatory long-range precision strikes with all our fighters.”

These statements from India’s leading military figure seemed to support reports from Islamabad, where on May 17, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed that Pakistan’s air force had shot down six Indian fighter jets during what is now considered the most intense aerial confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations in recent history. The sixth aircraft, a Mirage 2000, was allegedly downed during nighttime operations on May 6–7 near Pampore, east of Srinagar, an area adjacent to the Line of Control.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs further asserted that three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and a MiG-29 were shot down earlier in the conflict, all by PL-15E air-to-air missiles launched from Chinese-made J-10C fighters operated by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). “The much-hyped Rafale fighter jets have failed disastrously, and the Indian Air Force pilots have demonstrated a clear lack of proficiency,” stated Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

According to various military sources, it appears that Indian aircraft were likely targeted and engaged by a mix of PAF J-10C and JF-17 “Thunder” fighters utilizing China’s PL-15 missile—one of the most sophisticated beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air weapons currently operational. The J-10C, created by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), along with the JF-17, which is a collaborative effort between CAIG and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), forms a fundamental part of Pakistan’s contemporary air combat fleet.

The PL-15 missile—thought to have been launched from distances of up to 182 km in certain encounters—is a Mach 4-class BVR weapon featuring an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar seeker, designed to compete with leading Western systems such as the AIM-120D AMRAAM and the MBDA Meteor.

In what some analysts now refer to as “the largest air battle in history,” approximately 125 combat aircraft from both sides were reportedly engaged in the initial confrontations, during which Pakistan reportedly achieved the advantage through precise long-range strikes from within its own airspace.

Despite a growing body of circumstantial and intelligence-backed evidence, New Delhi has yet to acknowledge the potential loss of as many as six fighter jets, including three Rafales—its most advanced multirole aircraft, procured from France as part of a prominent defense agreement. When questioned about the situation, IAF Air Marshal A.K. Bharti only stated, “We are in a wartime scenario. Losses are a part of battle,” a vague remark that many analysts have interpreted as an indirect acknowledgment of combat losses. On the international stage, these claims have surprisingly gained some validation.

Senior U.S. defense officials informed Reuters that Pakistani J-10Cs were “responsible for downing at least two Indian Air Force fighters,” a claim that was similarly supported by French intelligence agents. CNN’s seasoned national security correspondent Jim Sciutto shared on X that “at least one Rafale” had been shot down by Pakistan, referencing sources from French intelligence.

French officials are reportedly looking into the possibility that more than one Rafale was lost during the incident, a statement that—if validated—could significantly tarnish the Rafale’s standing in future export markets. CNN also indicated that American intelligence analysts have determined that “an Indian fighter jet was shot down during India’s air strikes into Pakistani territory,” although Washington has yet to confirm the specific weapons platform utilized by Pakistan.

A representative from France’s Ministry of Armed Forces confirmed that Paris is “in close communication with Indian authorities” to ascertain the status of the Rafale jets and comprehend the ramifications of their alleged combat performance. “We are undoubtedly in the fog of war and an intense information war,” the French spokesperson remarked, highlighting the increasing uncertainty within European defense circles.

“What we know for sure is that we still do not completely understand what has transpired. There are significant worries about the operational results related to the Rafale, and we are vigilantly observing the situation,” the spokesperson remarked.

If verified, the loss of even one Rafale would mark the first combat defeat for Dassault Aviation’s premier fighter since its introduction, sending ripples through the global defense market. Following the initial reports of losses, Dassault Aviation’s stock has dropped by 9.48% over the course of five days. In contrast, the shares of Avic Chengdu Aircraft Co., which manufactures the J-10C, have skyrocketed by an impressive 61.6% during the same timeframe—highlighting a worldwide reevaluation of aerial combat capabilities.

Indonesian defense officials, who are set to receive the Rafale in 2026, have allegedly expressed concerns regarding its performance on the battlefield and are now undertaking what they describe as a “legitimate and evidence-based reassessment” of the French platform’s survivability in contested airspace.

Without official confirmation from New Delhi, the regional strategic balance may now be shifting—if not in favor of Pakistan, then certainly against the narrative India has diligently constructed around the invulnerability of its Rafales.