Pakistan's Rafale Claim Debunked As IAF Again Stamps On Presence Of Full Fleet Of 36 Jets

Rejecting Pakistan's repeated claims that India lost several Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force has effectively countered the narrative through a newly issued Request for Proposal (RFP). Released in June, the tender indicates that all 36 Rafale aircraft procured under the 2016 India-France deal remain operational and in active service.The RFP seeks short-term maintenance and logistics support for the entire Rafale fleet of 36 jets over a five-month period, with an estimated 2,250 flying hours planned during that time. The arrangement is intended to ensure seamless operational readiness until a long-term support contract is finalised later this year.The inclusion of all 36 Rafale aircraft in the latest maintenance proposal

raises questions on Pakistan's claims because if any jets were lost in combat, the fleet strength reflected in the tender would have shown a reduction.However, despite Islamabad's claims, the Indian defence officials had maintained that no Rafale fighter was downed during Operation Sindoor, India's retaliatory military action following the Pahalgam terror attack.Meanwhile, Pakistan had repeatedly claimed — through official statements and coordinated social media campaigns — that its forces had shot down multiple Indian Rafales. New Delhi, however, consistently rejected those assertions as part of a disinformation campaign.Adding to the skepticism surrounding Pakistan's claims, several aircraft that were purportedly declared "destroyed" by Pakistani accounts were later seen undertaking operational missions, undermining the credibility of the narrative.The Rafale fleet played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, carrying out precision strikes against targets deep inside Pakistani territory and delivering the intended operational objectives, according to defence sources.The IAF procured a total of 36 fighters from France. The contract was signed in September 2016 and all were delivered by 2022.