Pakistani J-10 fighter jets down at least two Indian warplanes, say US officials

India denies losses as Pakistan claims five aircraft downed, including three Rafales; independent observers back shootdown

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON (MNTV) — Pakistan’s Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two U.S. officials told Reuters, in what marks the first Western confirmation of Pakistan’s air-to-air engagement using the advanced jets supplied by China.

One U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said there was “high confidence” that Pakistan employed the J-10C jets to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian aircraft, resulting in the confirmed shootdown of at least two, Reuters reported. 

The incident occurred during heightened hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors, as Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged missile and drone strikes across the contested Kashmir region. 

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated that three of the downed jets were French-made Rafales, recently acquired by the Indian Air Force.

Another official confirmed that one of the jets was a Rafale. Notably, the officials clarified that U.S.-supplied F-16s were not used in the engagement.

The clash marks a milestone for the Chinese J-10C program, as the aircraft demonstrated effectiveness against Western platforms, a point being closely analyzed by defense circles in Washington with broader implications for potential conflicts involving China, particularly over Taiwan.

India has not acknowledged the loss of any aircraft and continues to maintain that its operations targeted “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan. 

When approached for comment, an Indian Air Force spokesperson declined to respond to the Reuters report. 

Indian media, echoing government sources, initially denied any aircraft were downed and focused instead on the success of “Operation Sindoor”—a drone campaign targeting deep sites inside Pakistan.

However, independent observers and open-source intelligence analysts have since released flight path data, satellite images, and geolocated wreckage photos supporting claims that multiple Indian jets were shot down. 

One aircraft was confirmed to have crashed in Pulwama district in India-administered Kashmir, where Indian security personnel were seen cordoning off the site.

The use of J-10C fighters—considered generation 4.5 aircraft and fitted with Chinese radar and missile systems—represents a significant shift in Pakistan’s air combat doctrine and a blow to India’s perceived aerial superiority. 

The incident marks one of the most serious escalations since the 2019 Pulwama-Balakot episode and is drawing urgent calls for restraint from the United States, China, and Russia.

Defense experts say the engagement not only demonstrates the rising stakes in South Asia’s aerial competition but also highlights the deepening China-Pakistan defense partnership and its potential to alter the regional military balance.

Pakistan claims five Indian aircraft downed

Pakistan claims its air force downed five Indian jets in total during the two-day aerial exchange, including three Rafales and two additional aircraft of unspecified models. 

The country also reported intercepting 25 Indian drones overnight. Meanwhile, India claims its air defenses thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks aimed at military installations.

Blasts were heard late Thursday in the city of Jammu, in Indian-administered Kashmir, which Indian officials attributed to suspected Pakistani drone activity. Pakistani artillery fire was also reported to have damaged religious sites and homes near the Line of Control.