French Navy rebuts Pakistan media's Rafale losses claim
What's the story
The French Navy has strongly rejected claims by Pakistani media that it confirmed Pakistan's air superiority over India during the May 2025 conflict. The Pakistani media had reported that a French commander, Captain Jaquis Launay, made such statements during "Operation Sindoor." However, the French Navy clarified that these statements were "fake news" and attributed to Captain Launay without his consent for publication.
Public reaction
French Navy's statement sparks online criticism
The French Navy's clarification has stirred a hornet's nest online, with many accusing Pakistani media of spreading misinformation. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya highlighted the incident as proof of Pakistan's "desperate misinformation machinery." He wrote on X, "The French Navy has called out Pakistan's Geo TV and its correspondent Hamid Mir for spreading 'misinformation and disinformation.'" Malviya also pointed out Mir's connections in Indian media, hinting at coordinated efforts to spread anti-India narratives.
Twitter Post
Amit Malviya's post on X
The French Navy has called out Pakistan’s Geo TV and its correspondent Hamid Mir for spreading “misinformation and disinformation.”
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 23, 2025
In his report, Hamid Mir peddled the same old, fabricated claims about Rafales and the so-called May conflict and has now been publicly exposed.… https://t.co/KakWUDSQwU
Military action
'Operation Sindoor': India's response to Pahalgam terror attack
In May 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The operation targeted terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Independent observers and Western intelligence have consistently refuted claims of any Rafale being shot down by Pakistani forces using Chinese systems, News18 reported.