Did IAF lose fighter jets in Operation Sindoor, or was it Western media's dubious narrative?

Did the Western media with pro-US bias deliberately and wrongly report the shooting down of French-made Rafale twin-engine fighter jets in the combat between India and Pakistan? Was their sole interest in harming the French arms manufacturer Dassault Aviation so that US manufacturers like Lockheed Martin and Boeing Defense could benefit? The doubts also arise because prestigious news agencies like CNN, Reuters and the Eurasian Times have written the stories based on anonymous sources without giving any concrete proof. The old and fake videos going viral on social media platforms only made the issue more confusing. 

Pakistan provides no evidence

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Defence Minister Khwaza Asif and top military officials claimed to have shot down five Indian Air Force fighter jets, including three Rafales, one Soviet-made MiG-29 and one Soviet-manufactured Sukhoi-30. However, Pakistan did not give any evidence of this claim debris or fallen parts, unlike in 2019, when they produced the wreckage of MiG-21 Bison and arrested Indian pilot Abhinandan Bartaman. Visuals going viral on social media platforms were found to be those of earlier peacetime incidents. 

Did IAF fighter fall in Jammu and Kashmir?

However, the intention of the Western media appears to be dubious from the very beginning. The 'Washington Post' verified debris consistent with two Rafales and one Mirage 2000—flown by the IAF. It also claimed to have found an external fuel tank from a Mirage 2000 found in Wuyan, Jammu and Kashmir. However, it also admitted that a fuel tank can be jettisoned for several reasons, including mechanical failure, combat damage, or maneuverability. So, it is not conclusive evidence.

Reports by Reuters, CNN

Similarly, Reuters claimed on May 9 that the Pakistan Air Force used Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets and shot down at least three IAF fighter jets, including a Rafale. It also claimed that the three jets fell on the Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir. Citing a high-ranking French intelligence official, CNN reported on May 8-9 that at least three IAF fighter jets, including one Rafale, were shot down. The New York Times, The Asian Times, and the Eurasian Times made similar claims. But neither of them named an official nor produced any conclusive evidence. 

What did IAF air marshal say?

When this question was asked in the press conference attended by the chiefs of the three services, Air Marshal AK Bharti came out with a cryptic reply. He said, "We are in a combat scenario, and losses are a part of it. Question is have we achieved our objective? Answer is a thumping yes. As for details, at this time I would not like to comment on that, as we are still in combat and give an advantage to the adversary. All our pilots are back home."

Many people interpret his reply as an acceptance of the loss of fighter jets. It is believed that the IAF fighters were hit; they somehow landed in the Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir, and the pilots returned to their country. It is also believed that the Western media used the opportunity to defame the French manufacturer Dassault and its fighter jet Rafale. It was more of a business rivalry than free and fair journalism.