Pakistan claims to have shot down Indian Rafale jets amid escalating Kashmir tensions; France and India are investigating.

A senior French intelligence official has confirmed that Pakistan shot down an Indian Rafale fighter jet during overnight clashes between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, potentially marking the first confirmed combat loss of the advanced French-built aircraft. The official stated that the incident occurred during hostilities between the Indian and Pakistani air forces.

The official also noted that French authorities are investigating the possibility that more than one Rafale jet may have been downed during the exchange. Pakistan has claimed that its air force shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, using Chinese-made J-10C aircraft.

A report by The New York Times, citing three government officials, local news reports, and eyewitness accounts, indicated that at least two aircraft crashed within India and Indian-administered Kashmir.

Photographs shared online appear to show parts of a Rafale’s tailfin and rudder scattered in a field, reportedly in the Bathinda area of India’s Punjab state, which borders Pakistan. The wreckage reportedly carries serial number BS-001, identifying it as a single-seat Rafale EH.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani military reported that Indian missile strikes and cross-border exchanges resulted in the deaths of at least 31 civilians and injuries to 57 others. These events occurred along the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides Kashmir between the two countries.

The escalation follows a deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, where gunmen killed 26 civilians. India, without releasing any public evidence, blamed Pakistan for supporting the attackers. Pakistan denied the allegation and called for an impartial investigation by a third party.

Photographs from the crash site in Indian-administered Kashmir appear to show debris with French manufacturing labels. However, independent defense analysts have urged caution, noting that more investigation is necessary to definitively link the wreckage to a Rafale aircraft.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a televised address, said the downing of the Indian jets was a direct response to Indian aggression. “They destroyed the planes of our attackers and enemies,” he said, commending the Pakistani Air Force. He warned India that its actions would have consequences, stating, “They will have to suffer the consequences.”

Sharif confirmed that at least three French-made Rafale jets were hit by Pakistani missiles launched both from the air and from surface-based platforms across the de facto frontier in Kashmir. Speaking to Parliament, he declared, “This is a nation of courageous people who have high aims. They respect their country and protect their country. They will fight until the last drop of their blood.”

Dassault Aviation, the French company that manufactures the Rafale, has not responded to requests for comment. The French military also declined to make a public statement but is said to be in close contact with Indian defense officials.

India procured 36 Rafale jets in a high-profile 2016 defense agreement with France aimed at modernizing its aging air fleet. The twin-engine Rafale is considered one of the most capable multirole fighters in the world, designed for both air-to-air combat and precision strike missions.

As tensions intensify along the Kashmir frontier, the reported loss of Rafale aircraft raises broader strategic concerns, not only for the region but also for the global defense community. Referring to the events of the night of May 6 and 7, Indian officials stated that New Delhi was exercising its right to respond, preempt, and deter further cross-border attacks.