Pakistan’s Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets reportedly shot down at least two Indian military aircraft , according to two US officials.
This marks a notable milestone for Beijing’s advanced fighter jet programme, raising concerns in Washington about its potential use in conflicts involving Taiwan or the Indo-Pacific region.
One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed high confidence that Pakistan had employed the J-10 to launch air-to-air missiles, resulting in the downing of at least two Indian jets.
A second official confirmed that at least one of the aircraft shot down was a French-made Rafale fighter jet. Notably, both officials clarified that Pakistan’s US-made F-16 aircraft were not involved in the incident.
The Indian Air Force declined to comment on the report. Delhi has not acknowledged any loss of aircraft, asserting instead that it conducted successful strikes against alleged terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan.
The incident has sparked international concern, with global powers including the United States, Russia, and China urging restraint in one of the world’s most volatile nuclear flashpoints.
In France, neither Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of the Rafale, nor the MBDA consortium responsible for the Meteor air-to-air missile, was available for comment due to a public holiday.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, stated on Thursday that the J-10 jets had downed three French-made Rafale planes newly acquired by India. According to Pakistani claims, a total of five Indian aircraft were destroyed during the air-to-air combat.
In the aftermath of the aerial confrontation, explosions were reported late on Thursday in Jammu, Indian-administered Kashmir, which Indian military sources attributed to a suspected Pakistani drone attack. The incident occurred during the second day of clashes between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan also claimed to have shot down 25 Indian drones overnight, while India reported successfully intercepting Pakistani drone and missile strikes targeting military installations.
India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations, have fought three major wars since gaining independence and have been engaged in numerous smaller skirmishes, particularly over the disputed Kashmir region.
Boluwatife Enome
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