India loses top fighter jet – bad news for its future air combat

Three advanced French Rafale fighters downed as Pakistan fires Chinese missiles from its Chinese-Pakistani J-10 jets

by Stephen Bryen   May 9, 2025 

At least three French-made Rafale jets were downed by Pakistani missiles launched from air and ground across Kashmir frontier, says Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif. Photo: public domain

India has lost its top fighter jet, the Rafale EH. Three Rafale jets were shot down. In addition, at least one Sukhoi and one MIG plus a large Israel reconnaissance drone were destroyed by Pakistan’s air force.

Until the latest air combat, India had acquired 34 Rafale jet fighters. These are multimission platforms suitable for all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defense, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

In the latest confrontation, which apparently lasted around an hour, the Rafales were carrying SCALP cruise missiles, which in the UK are known as Storm Shadow. These missiles have been used extensively in Ukraine.

The Rafales also had MICA (missile d’interception, de combat et d’auto-défense) air-to-air missiles. At least one of these missiles was found near the crash site of the first Rafale that was downed. That Rafale had a tail designation of BS-001, meaning it was the first Rafale delivered to the Indian air force. BS means single seat.▶ 2

BS-001 tail of the first downed Rafale