China, Pakistan behind anti-Rafale jets campaign? France flags 'disinformation' after India’s Operation Sindoor

The French defence ministry said Rafale was not randomly targeted by the campaign, which sought to promote Chinese design's superiority.

France is allegedly fighting a 'disinformation' campaign against its Rafale jets, with its military and intelligence officials revealing that China used its embassies to undermine the sales and harm the reputation of the French flagship fighter.

A French fighter aircraft Rafale M manufactured by Dassault Aviaition, stands on the tarmac before a practice session for a simulated landing on an aircraft carrier at the Landivisiau Navy Air Base (BAN Landivisiau) in Saint-Servais, Brittany, France, (REUTERS file)

Defence attaches in Chinese foreign embassies led the campaign to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries not to buy more of the French fighter and instead choose Chinese-made jets, The Associated Press reported, citing findings from a French intelligence service.

Sales of the Rafale jets and other heavy weaponry bring big business for France's defence industry, helping efforts by the government to strengthen ties with India and other nations in Asia, where China is trying to establish itself as the dominant power.

French officials reportedly have said other countries began to raise questions over Rafale's performance after Pakistan claimed to have downed five Indian planes, including three Rafales, during the fighting in May.

Pakistan's claim about Rafale has not been confirmed by India. Air Marshal AK Bharti, during a press briefing on Operation Sindoor, had responded to reports of Rafale jets being downed, stating that "losses are a part of any combat scenario" without confirming or denying the claims.

Captain Shiv Kumar, an Indian Navy officer, said last month that India did lose some fighter jets on the opening day of its military operation against Pakistan due to initial restrictions. He, however, did "not agree" with the claims that the nation lost as many as five fighter planes.

Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, which makes the Rafale jets, recently dismissed Pakistan's claim and called it "inaccurate". Speaking to Challenges, a French magazine, he refuted Islamabad's claims that three Rafale jets were shot down during the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May.

‘Rafale not targeted randomly’: French ministry

French officials have said they are pushing back against the alleged concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online at the hands of Pakistan and China.

France said the campaign reportedly included manipulated visuals of supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content, and more than 1,000 newly created social media accounts to spread a narrative of Chinese technology being superior.

However, French military officials have not been able to directly link the online bashing to the Chinese government.

The French intelligence service said that Chinese embassy defense attaches echoed similar narratives in meetings they held with other countries' counterparts and security officials.

Chinese officials reportedly focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and nations that are potential customers of the French fighter planes, the intelligence finding said.

The French defence ministry said Rafale was being targeted by "a vast campaign of disinformation" that "sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design."

"The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater," the ministry said on its website.

“The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships," it added.

Meanwhile, China's ministry of national defense told AP that France's claims "are pure groundless rumours and slander".

"China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability," it added.

Rafale maker Dassault Aviation has sold 533 jets, including 323 for export to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, and Indonesia. So far, Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering purchasing more Rafales.