A senior French naval commander has confirmed that Indian Rafale fighter jets were shot down during the May 2025 air engagement with Pakistan—stressing that the outcome resulted from Pakistan’s superior battle management rather than any technological shortcomings of China-built J-10C fighters.
Captain Jacques Launay, commander of the French Naval Air Base at Landivisiau, told delegates at an Indo-Pacific security conference that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was “much better prepared” during the confrontation, which saw more than 140 aircraft from both countries in action during the night of May 6–7, 2025.
“It was very easy to hit an aircraft because a large number of targets were available to both sides. Pakistan handled that complicated situation better than its adversary,” he said.
Commenting on the Rafale’s radar performance, Captain Launay clarified that the issues were operational—not technical. “There was nothing wrong with the war machine, but the machine was not used properly,” he remarked, emphasizing that Rafales remain fully capable of competing with China’s J-10C fighters.
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The statement emerged during a briefing for 55 delegates from 32 countries, hosted at his base by France’s Institute of Advanced Studies in National Defence (IHEDN).
Even when Indian representatives challenged the claims, Captain Launay continued his detailed assessment without hesitation.
He further revealed that India is planning to acquire nuclear-capable naval Rafales for use on its aircraft carriers. Indian pilots are expected to train at the Landivisiau base, which currently hosts more than 40 Rafales equipped with nuclear strike capability.
Captain Launay commended both Pakistan and India for preventing the conflict from escalating into full-scale war. He described the May 2025 encounter as a rare real-world opportunity for militaries worldwide to evaluate pilot performance, aircraft capabilities, and air-to-air missile effectiveness under actual combat conditions.
Despite India sending multiple attendees to the conference, Pakistan was represented by only one senior journalist—highlighting a noticeable imbalance in regional participation.
