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The Rafale fighter jet taxis at its induction ceremony on September 10, 2020, at an air force station in Ambala, India. — Reuters
- India halts French audit of Rafale fleet.
- Indonesia examines its agreement with Dassault.
- Paris attributes issues to pilots, standing by the Rafale’s reputation.
ISLAMABAD: A significant strain has developed between France and India regarding the performance of the Dassault Rafale fighter jet following reports of its losses in the recent conflict between Pakistan and India.
During the fighting, the Pakistan Air Force was said to have shot down six Indian aircraft, including at least three Rafales. According to analysis from regional and Western media, as well as defense experts from both the U.S. and France, PAF J-10C squadrons successfully downed multiple Indian jets in the early stages of the conflict.
The situation has sparked diplomatic friction between these traditional allies and raised new doubts about the reliability of France’s leading combat aircraft. In addition to the presumed loss of three Rafales, India reportedly lost one Su-30MKI, one MiG-29, and one Mirage 2000, making a total of six confirmed or suspected downed aircraft, primarily during India’s deep-strike missions inside Pakistani territory.
Indian Chief of Defense Staff General Chauhan has confirmed that Indian jets were indeed lost during the conflict’s initial hours, but he refrained from specifying the exact numbers. “What’s crucial isn’t the aircraft that went down but the reasons behind their losses. Understanding the mistakes made is essential, while the count itself is secondary,” Chauhan stated in an interview with Bloomberg TV.
Reports indicate that Dassault, the French manufacturer of Rafale, has declined to share the jet’s source code with India, further exacerbating tensions between the two nations. In an effort to defend the Rafale’s standing, Paris has reacted to New Delhi’s claims by attributing any performance issues to maintenance and pilot error rather than defects in France’s premier fighter jet.
To complicate matters further, the Indian government is obstructing Dassault’s audit team from examining its fleet of Rafales. The auditors intended to assess the Indian Rafales to confirm that there were no overlooked technical problems by the Indian Air Force (IAF). Indian sources suggest that New Delhi is hesitant, concerned that the French auditors might blame the aircraft’s lackluster performance on the Indian forces.
Nonetheless, the repercussions of this situation extend beyond India and France. Other nations have begun to take note, with the Indonesian government initiating its own audit of a recent deal with Dassault, prompted by concerns over the aircraft’s reported shortcomings. Meanwhile, the incident has led European nations to reevaluate their military strategies, and reports indicate a decline in Dassault’s stock following the news of the downed aircraft.
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