A French intelligence report reveals China’s propaganda campaign against Rafale fighter jets to undermine global sales and boost its defense exports. Learn why Rafale remains a trusted symbol of military power.
After Operation Sindhoor: China spreads misinformation about Rafale with tricks
In the aftermath of Operation Sindhur, India’s audacious display of military prowess has seized global attention. Nations across continents are now casting eager eyes toward acquiring the armaments, precision missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles deployed by India in its decisive confrontation with Pakistan. Amid this rising interest, an incendiary revelation surfaces: China, India’s contiguous rival, is allegedly orchestrating a disinformation blitz designed to discredit these defense assets.
During the cross-border skirmishes, India’s utilization of Rafale fighter jets became a significant talking point. Yet, China reportedly sowed seeds of deceit worldwide, alleging these aircraft had been obliterated in combat. French authorities have now leveled grave accusations against Beijing, asserting that it has unleashed a sprawling propaganda campaign intended to corrode the global standing of the Rafale fleet and stifle its burgeoning export success.
Aims to damage the credibility of India’s defense exports
According to intelligence reports from Paris, Chinese diplomatic missions, through embedded defense attachés, are leading a concerted campaign to discourage prospective purchasers from purchasing Rafale aircraft and instead encourage them to purchase Chinese-made combat aircraft. This discovery comes as tensions between India and Pakistan are rising and China’s secret schemes are becoming more obvious.
A scathing French dossier claims Beijing fabricated a sweeping narrative alleging that Indian weapons—including its prized Rafale jets—were decimated during Operation Sindhur. This grandiose falsehood, seeded through Chinese embassies, aims to dent the credibility of India’s defense exports and, by extension, the Rafale’s reputation.
Completely fabricated
As part of this strategic deception, France’s defense circles noted that Beijing opportunistically amplified Pakistan’s unverified assertion of downing five Indian aircraft—three of which were purportedly Rafales—in an aerial skirmish last May. These assertions have been categorically repudiated by Eric Trappier, the chief executive of Dassault Aviation, who labeled them as “entirely fictitious.”
According to French defense sources, this deceit is a deliberate attempt to suppress defense sales from France and India, allowing Chinese weaponry to overtake them in the global market. They claim that a barrage of fake social media profiles boasting of Chinese technological superiority, artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, and Photoshopped images showing alleged Rafale wreckage further support this effort.
Beijing denies responsibility
For France, the Rafale represents the nation’s engineering reliability and strategic vision more than just a piece of equipment. They argue that it is a prime target for hostile information warfare due to its symbolic value.
As expected, Beijing has denied responsibility, claiming the French accusations are false and defamatory. Nonetheless, defense analysts contend that the Chinese state has a storied history of employing such clandestine tactics to undermine competitors.
Dassault Aviation has a good reputation
With 323 Rafales already in operation and 533 delivered, Dassault Aviation presently has a strong presence in countries including Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, and Indonesia worldwide, according to its export ledger.
Conversely, China’s Ministry of National Defense has issued an emphatic rebuttal, branding France’s allegations as “baseless fabrications” and affirming Beijing’s commitment to “responsible conduct” in the international arms trade. Despite such denials, geopolitical observers remain circumspect, noting Beijing’s pattern of leveraging influence operations to gain a competitive edge.
This unfolding drama underscores the high-stakes rivalry in the global defense arena, where not only hardware but narratives themselves have become potent weapons.
