'When Truth Comes Out...': Dassault CEO Labels Pakistan's Claim Of Downing Rafales As 'Inaccurate'

Last Updated:June 14, 2025, 22:18 IST

In a recent interview, Trappier was asked about the potential loss of IAF Rafale aircraft during the early May air engagement between India and Pakistan

Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier | File Image/X

Amid Pakistan’s claim of downing Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Rafale jets during the recent conflict, Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier on Saturday pushed back against Islamabad’s assertions, calling it “inaccurate".

In a recent interview, Trappier was asked about the potential loss of IAF Rafale aircraft during the early May air engagement between India and Pakistan — a false propaganda that Pakistan has pushed in the global defence community.

The Dassault chief was clear in his rebuttal: “The Indians did not communicate, so we do not know exactly what happened. What we already know is that the words of the Pakistanis (three destroyed Rafale) are inaccurate," he said.

Addressing speculation around the performance of the Rafale aircraft, Trappier defended its capabilities, saying combat missions are measured by objectives achieved—not merely by the absence of losses.

“When the truth comes out, some may have surprises," he added.

“When you operate combat aircraft, you complete a mission. The success of the mission is not having zero loss, it is having achieved its objectives," he said,

He also drew a comparison with historical conflicts, stating, “During the Second World War, no one claimed the Allies lost the war simply because they suffered troop losses."

India’s Rafale fleet, inducted under a high-profile deal with Dassault beginning in 2019, has been hailed as a game-changer in India’s aerial combat capabilities.

Pakistan’s False Propaganda

Following India’s launch of retaliatory strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’ in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan attempted to play down the offensive by alleging it had shot down three Indian Rafale jets, along with one Su-30 and one MiG-29.

According to reports, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed that five Indian aircraft were brought down and that several Indian soldiers had been taken prisoner, though he did not specify a number.

“They have taken the initiative, we have just responded," Asif told Bloomberg Television. “We have been saying all along the last fortnight that we will never initiate anything hostile toward India. But if India attack, we’ll respond. If India backs down, we’ll definitely wrap up," he added.

India’s military operation targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which were being used to plan and direct attacks against India.

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News world 'When Truth Comes Out...': Dassault CEO Labels Pakistan's Claim Of Downing Rafales As 'Inaccurate'