China reportedly led a global campaign to discredit France’s Rafale jets after India-Pakistan clashes, says French intelligence. Photo/X.
French military and intelligence officials have reported that China deployed its embassy defence attachés worldwide to actively sow doubts about the combat performance of Rafale jets after the recent clashes between India and Pakistan in May.
According to French intelligence findings shared with The Associated Press by an anonymous French military official, Chinese defence attachés stationed in foreign embassies led efforts to discourage countries that already ordered Rafales, particularly Indonesia, from purchasing more, while encouraging potential buyers to opt for Chinese-made aircraft.
These embassy officers reportedly held meetings with security and defence officials from various countries, advancing the narrative that the Rafale performed poorly in air combat and promoting Chinese military equipment as superior. The intelligence service learned of these meetings through the countries approached.
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French officials revealed a widespread online disinformation campaign allegedly backed by Pakistan and China. This campaign included viral social media posts, manipulated images of supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content, and video-game style depictions simulating Rafale combat failures.
French researchers tracking online disinformation noted that more than 1,000 newly created social media accounts appeared as the India-Pakistan clashes began, pushing narratives of Chinese technological superiority. However, French military officials have not found direct evidence linking this online activity to the Chinese government.
China’s Ministry of National Defense dismissed the allegations as “pure groundless rumours and slander,” while speaking to AP adding that China “has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports” and plays “a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.”
France’s Defence Ministry described the Rafale as the target of “a vast campaign of disinformation” aimed at promoting the “superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design.”
They added, “The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theatre. The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defence industrial and technological base.”
The Ministry concluded that the disinformation campaign was not just about the aircraft itself but aimed at damaging “a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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