Islamabad 29 July: In a startling revelation, Lok Sabha member Amrilla Singh Raja has claimed that a Rafale fighter jet was shot down during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, directly contradicting the Indian government’s official stance.
Raja stated that the tail section of the downed aircraft, bearing the marking BS-001, was recovered near the Bassiana Air Force Station in Punjab, confirming it was a Rafale jet. The crash reportedly resulted in one fatality and nine injuries.
The MP further alleged that an Indian Air Marshal was aware of the incident but deliberately labeled the aircraft as “unidentified” to conceal the truth from the public. Raja accused the Indian military of suppressing the facts to avoid admitting the loss of the advanced French-made fighter jet.
This claim comes amid longstanding assertions by Pakistan that it successfully shot down multiple Indian aircraft, including a Rafale, during the conflict. International observers and French officials have reportedly corroborated parts of this narrative, though India has consistently denied losing any Rafale jets in combat.
The Indian government and the Indian Air Force (IAF) have yet to respond to Raja’s allegations. However, if proven true, this would mark a significant embarrassment for New Delhi, which has heavily invested in the Rafale fleet as a cornerstone of its air superiority strategy.
READ MORE: French Intelligence Confirms Rafale Jet Downed by Pakistan; CNN
Analysts suggest that Raja’s disclosure could spark a political firestorm, with opposition parties likely to demand transparency from the Modi administration over the alleged cover-up. Meanwhile, Pakistan is expected to seize on these claims to reinforce its version of events.
As tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remain high, this new controversy threatens to reignite debates over military accountability and wartime disclosures in India.
