New Delhi: In yet another blow to Islamabad’s narrative warfare, the French Navy has categorically dismissed Pakistan’s fabricated assertion that it downed Indian Rafale jets during India’s precision strikes in Operation Sindoor, exposing the claim as a blatant misinformation ploy.
The controversy erupted when Geo TV, a prominent Pakistani channel, aired a report alleging that in May, during the retaliatory Operation Sindoor – launched post the Pahalgam terror attack – Pakistan’s forces had neutralised multiple Indian Rafales. The channel mischievously attributed the “revelation” to a purported statement from French Navy Commander Yvan Launay (misnamed Jacques Launay in the report), who was portrayed as a high-ranking official confirming the losses.
The Marine Nationale swiftly rebutted the story on social media, sharing a screenshot of the Geo TV broadcast and labelling it “very misleading and inaccurate”. Officials clarified that Commander Launay, who heads the Navy Air Station deploying France’s Rafale Marine aircraft, issued no such remarks nor granted permission for their publication. When pressed on Operation Sindoor specifics – including alleged jamming of Indian jets by Chinese systems – the Navy declined to confirm the events and firmly rejected the doctored narrative.
Operation Sindoor, a resounding success, saw the Indian Air Force eliminate over 100 terrorists across the Line of Control and beyond, inflicting heavy casualties on Pakistani assets. Later, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari confirmed the downing of six Pakistani fighter jets, compelling enemy commanders to request a ceasefire.
This episode underscores Pakistan’s recurring tactic of peddling falsehoods to mask defeats and sway global opinion, further straining bilateral ties amid heightened regional tensions.