China’s embassies fuelled doubts about Rafale jets when India hit Pakistan: France’s intel report

China used its embassies to sow doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale fighter jets after they were used in combat during the India-Pakistan clashes in May, according to French military and intelligence officials. The effort, aimed at harming the reputation and sales of France’s flagship fighter, was carried out through coordinated lobbying and disinformation, officials said.

The Associated Press, citing a French intelligence service report, reported that it suggested defence attachés in Chinese embassies led efforts to dissuade countries– notably Indonesia– from buying additional Rafale jets, while urging potential buyers to consider Chinese-made aircraft instead.

The four-day confrontation in May between India and Pakistan involved dozens of aircraft and marked the most serious escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals in years. French and Indian military officials have since reviewed the outcome closely, especially focusing on how Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied aircraft and missiles fared against India’s use of Rafales in precision airstrikes on Pakistani territory.

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Rafale sales are a major component of France’s defence industry and play a critical role in the country’s efforts to build strategic partnerships, particularly in Asia, where China’s influence is growing.

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Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes, including three Rafales, prompting questions about the aircraft’s effectiveness from existing and prospective customers. India acknowledged losses but did not disclose the number of aircraft shot down. French air force chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said there was evidence of three losses: a Rafale, a Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000.

“Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,” Bellanger said.

France has since moved to defend the Rafale’s reputation amid what officials describe as a calculated disinformation campaign by Pakistan and its ally China. French authorities say manipulated images, AI-generated content, and even video-game footage were used online to simulate damage to Rafale jets. Over 1,000 newly created social media accounts spread messages highlighting Chinese technological superiority, according to researchers who track online disinformation.

While French officials have not directly linked the online campaign to the Chinese government, the intelligence service reported that Chinese defence attachés reinforced the same anti-Rafale narrative during meetings with foreign defence officials. These attachés allegedly lobbied countries that had bought Rafales or were considering doing so, repeating claims about the jet’s poor performance in India.

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Asked by AP about the allegations, China’s Ministry of National Defense said: “The relevant 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.”

France’s Defence Ministry responded by acknowledging “a vast campaign of disinformation” that it said targeted the Rafale and aimed to promote Chinese alternatives. “The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theatre,” the ministry stated.

The ministry also stressed the broader implications of the campaign: “By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defence industrial and technological base.”

Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, with 323 exported to countries including Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, and Indonesia. Indonesia, which has ordered 42 Rafales, is now reportedly re-evaluating its options.

Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said China could be leveraging Pakistan’s performance in the May clashes to damage Rafale’s export prospects. “They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region,” he said.

“From a point of view of limiting Western countries’ influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export,” Bronk added.

With inputs from agencies