A research report published by a British defence journal has challenged India’s long-standing claims of military superiority, presenting contested assertions about losses suffered by the Indian Air Force during an alleged aerial confrontation with Pakistan.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, Key Aero Magazine reported, a 52-minute air engagement between Pakistan and India resulted in the destruction of four Indian Rafale fighter jets.
The report identified the aircraft by the serial numbers BS001, BS021, BS022 and BS027, and claimed that India has not publicly released verifiable images confirming the status of the jets.
The report further alleged that Pakistan employed coordinated multi-domain operations, combining air power and cyber capabilities, which it said left Indian pilots and air defence systems ineffective.
It claimed that Pakistani cyber units disrupted nearly 96 per cent of India’s social networks and digital infrastructure during the confrontation.
In addition to the Rafale aircraft, the report listed further alleged Indian losses, including MiG-29 and Su-30 fighter jets, as well as a Heron drone. It also claimed that on May 10, a Pakistani JF-17C Block-III aircraft disabled an Indian S-400 air defence system in the Udhampur area, while another strike reportedly damaged an Indian command-and-control facility in Barnala.
The publication described the episode as the first instance in which an air force allegedly integrated cyber and conventional military operations on such a scale.
It also cited a previous interview given by India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, to Bloomberg, in which aircraft losses were acknowledged, though without detailed confirmation.
India has not officially responded to the specific claims made in the report. Defence analysts note that many of the assertions remain disputed and would require independent verification.
