ISLAMABAD  -  India has admitted loss of fighter jets during its recent unprovoked attack on Pakistan, a prominent French newspaper reported.

Le Monde wrote that India’s recent military attack on Pakistan, dubbed as “Operation Sindoor,” has exposed critical vulnerabilities in the Indian Air Force (IAF). It said New Delhi has begun acknowledging the loss of multiple fighter jets during the May 6-7 attack.

The French publication highlighted that among the downed aircraft, at least one may have been a Rafale, potentially marking the first combat loss for the French-made jet. Pakistani military shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales, using Chinese-made J-10s. India has only unofficially admitted losses, open-source analysis lends credibility to the Pakistani claim.

So far, the Indian authorities have not issued any statement to Pakistan’s claim, also verified by independent media of shooting India fighter jets. Even during an Indian military’s press briefing the other day, where they provided details about their targets, there was no mention of any of their aircraft being shot down. India’s newspaper The Hindu, however, initially reported, citing Indian officials, that three aircraft had crashed in different parts of occupied Kashmir. However, the newspaper later removed the post from social media, saying, “We have removed the post regarding Indian aircraft involvement in Operation Sandur because it could not be officially confirmed.”

New Delhi has yet to officially confirm the loss of its warplane, but independent sources have confirmed Pakistan’s claim, marking the first combat loss of a Rafale fighter jet anywhere in the world. One SU-30 and a Harop combat drone was shot down by the Pakistan military.

Despite India keeping mum over the losses, CNN quoted a senior French intelligence official as having confirmed that at least one Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jet had indeed been shot down by Pakistan, partially corroborating Pakistan’s earlier claims. He said that French authorities were investigating whether additional Rafale jets may have been downed.

These aircraft crashed over various locations: in Indian Punjab near Bathinda, in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (two near Awantipora, one near Akhnoor), and one near Srinagar.

The Pakistani pilots not only brought down Indian fighter jets but also pulled down the French manufacturer of Rafale jets, Dassault Aviation. The French manufacturer saw its share value plummet by 6% following reports of the aircraft losses. In a sharp contrast, China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), which produces the JF-17 and J-10 jets used by the Pakistan Air Force, recorded an 11.85% rise in its share price.

The loss was a significant blow not only to India’s military reputation but also raised questions about the reliability of its advanced fighter jets.

The direct outcome of losing three of its prized warplanes within hours of India launching an attack on Pakistan has been characterized as both a technical failure and an embarrassment for the so-called military might. It’s yet to be ascertained if the fault was with the jets or the pilots. The third possible factor for the damage might have been the extraordinary skills of the Pakistani pilots. But to reach a conclusion, India needs to first admit its losses to which she seems reluctant so far.

Over half of India’s fighter squadrons are composed of outdated Russian or retired French jets, such as the MiG-21s and Jaguars. Even the Rafales, acquired in a €8 billion deal signed in 2016, only began service in 2020.

Le Monde pointed out that while Indian authorities initially struck a triumphant tone, efforts were later made to downplay or suppress reports of aircraft losses, allegedly under pressure from the Indian government.

The report concludes with warnings from analysts about potential escalation between the two nuclear-armed nations.