France calls Pakistan claim on Operation Sindoor disinformation

NEW DELHI: The French Navy on Sunday refuted the Pakistan media claims of downing the IAF fighters as extensive misinformation, and added that the article on Operation Sindoor published by Pakistani media contained both misinformation and disinformation. The claim in the article, attributed to a French commander, had talked about Pakistans air superiority over India during the May 2025 conflict and the loss of Rafale jets. These statements were attributed to Captain Launay, who never gave his consent for any form of publication. The article contains extensive misinformation and disinformation, it said. When asked about Operation Sindoor, he neither confirmed nor denied that Indian aircraft had been shot down. He refused to comment on possible jamming of the Indian Rafale by Chinese systems, the Navy clarified. Earlier published in Pakistans Geo TV, the article had claimed that the French Naval commander Captain Jaquis Launay had confirmed Pakistans dominance in the aerial engagement during Operation Sindoor. The article had articulated that the Pakistan Air Force was better prepared thus bringing down IAFs Rafale fighters and not because of the technological superiority of the Chinese J-10C fighters. It had led to sharp discussions online and was dubbed an anti-India propaganda in the Pakistani media. In May, India launched a swift military operation against Pakistan, codenamed Operation Sindoor, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. It was a joint mission conducted by the IAF and the Indian Army to wipe out terrorist infrastructures inside Pakistan and PoK. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had said in October Pakistan lost as many as 12 to 13 aircraft, including fighter jets such as US-made F-16s and Chinese-origin JF-17s, to the IAFs precision strikes on ground and in the air during Operation Sindoor. India, Australia conduct joint naval exercise The Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri, an example of Indias indigenous defence capabilities, participated in a bilateral exercise alongside HMAS Ballarat of the Royal Australian Navy in the Northern Pacific. The exercise, AUSINDEX 2025, is aimed at boosting interoperability and deepening the strategic partnership between the two maritime nations, the Indian Navy said. The warships and aircraft of the two navies conducted intensive joint naval drills, underscoring the two countries shared commitment to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.