Paris/New Delhi: French intelligence agencies have concluded that China launched a deliberate disinformation campaign aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Rafale fighter jet following India’s successful Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May this year. The revelations, reported by The Economic Times, suggest that the campaign was multi-pronged and strategically targeted to hurt French defence exports and influence military procurement decisions in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to French sources, Chinese defence attachés stationed in several embassies, including in countries like Indonesia that have placed orders for Rafales, engaged in direct diplomatic lobbying to cast doubts on the jet’s combat performance. These efforts intensified after Indian Air Force Rafales were deployed in precision strikes during the cross-border operation into Pakistan. The French assessment indicates that China’s objective was to promote its own military aircraft by eroding global trust in Dassault’s flagship fighter.
The campaign also extended into the digital space, with a surge of over a thousand fake social media accounts pushing content that claimed Rafale jets had been downed during the operation. Several of these posts were accompanied by AI-generated videos, altered photos, and game footage manipulated to resemble real-world combat visuals. French officials said these efforts were designed to spread confusion and weaken France’s credibility as a global defence supplier.
Pakistan had claimed that three Rafale jets were lost in the operation, though French authorities confirmed that only one Rafale, one Mirage 2000, and one Sukhoi-30MKI were downed. French Defence Ministry officials called the disinformation campaign a “vast and coordinated attempt” to undermine not only the aircraft’s reputation but also France’s strategic autonomy and industrial capabilities.
Beijing, when contacted by various media outlets, dismissed the allegations as “groundless rumours and slander,” asserting that China adheres to a responsible approach in its military exports. However, the timing and pattern of the campaign raised alarms in Paris and other Western capitals about the rising use of state-influenced information warfare in defence diplomacy.
France has sold 533 Rafales to date and remains a key player in the global arms market. But intelligence assessments now warn that attempts by rival nations to use hybrid tactics—including disinformation and diplomatic pressure—to influence defence deals may become more frequent, particularly in volatile regions like the Indo-Pacific.
The revelations have prompted Dassault Aviation and the French government to intensify outreach to partner nations, reaffirming the Rafale’s operational record and reliability. India has yet to issue an official comment on the matter, but defence officials in New Delhi are aware of the online activity surrounding Operation Sindoor and its geopolitical ramifications.