French military and intelligence authorities have accused China of orchestrating a coordinated effort to discredit France’s Rafale fighter jet following its combat deployment in recent clashes between India and Pakistan.

A classified French intelligence assessment, reviewed by the Associated Press, indicates that Chinese embassies actively sought to undermine the aircraft’s international reputation and discourage further exports.

The assessment alleges that defence attachés based in Chinese diplomatic missions spearheaded the effort, engaging directly with security and defence officials from countries that have either procured or are considering the acquisition of Rafales. The operation reportedly focused on persuading such states — particularly Indonesia — to reconsider or cancel additional orders in favour of Chinese alternatives.

The diplomatic campaign followed four days of hostilities in May between India and Pakistan, marking the most serious confrontation between the two nuclear-armed states in recent years. The engagements included large-scale aerial combat involving dozens of aircraft. India deployed its fleet of French-made Rafales, while Pakistan fielded fighter jets and air-to-air missiles sourced from China.

Islamabad later claimed that its air force had downed five Indian aircraft during the conflict, including three Rafales. Indian officials acknowledged losses but declined to specify the aircraft types. General Jérôme Bellanger, Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force, confirmed that evidence pointed to three downed aircraft — a Rafale, a Russian Sukhoi, and a Mirage 2000, the latter also of French origin. This represented the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which has been sold to eight countries.

General Bellanger noted that questions were raised among Rafale client states following the incident: “Of course, the nations that bought Rafales asked themselves questions,” he said.

France has since moved to defend the aircraft’s credibility, with officials arguing that the criticism formed part of a broader disinformation campaign. According to French military and intelligence sources, the campaign included the dissemination of manipulated imagery, fabricated video-game footage, and artificial intelligence-generated content falsely portraying Rafale combat losses. Analysts specialising in online propaganda identified more than 1,000 new social media accounts that emerged during the crisis, many of which amplified narratives promoting Chinese military superiority.

While direct links between the online content and the Chinese state have not been established, French intelligence maintains that Chinese defence attachés reinforced these messages in direct engagements with foreign officials. According to the assessment, attachés repeated claims that the Rafale had underperformed and actively promoted Chinese-manufactured fighter aircraft as superior alternatives.

The intelligence report further suggests that targeted lobbying took place in states where France has recently secured major arms contracts, including Egypt, India, the UAE, and Indonesia. In Jakarta, which has placed an order for 42 Rafales and is considering additional purchases, officials reportedly informed Paris of Chinese attempts to influence decision-making through diplomatic channels.

Responding to a request for comment from the Associated Press, China’s Ministry of National Defence dismissed the accusations as “groundless rumours and slander,” and maintained that Beijing adheres to a “prudent and responsible approach” regarding military exports.

France’s Ministry of Armed Forces has publicly described the alleged activity as a “vast campaign of disinformation” aimed at promoting “the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design.” A statement on the ministry’s website underlined the strategic significance of the Rafale: “The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It represents a key French capability, deployed abroad in high-visibility theatres.”

The statement added that the attack on Rafale’s reputation was, in effect, an attempt to damage France’s broader image as a reliable defence partner: “Certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defence industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore targeted not just the aircraft, but the national image of strategic autonomy and industrial reliability.”

To date, Dassault Aviation has delivered 533 Rafale aircraft, with 323 sold to international customers, including Qatar, Greece, Croatia, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates. The aircraft’s success has been seen as a key component of France’s defence export strategy and its diplomatic positioning in regions where China is increasingly assertive.

According to defence analyst Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute in London, the timing and scope of China’s alleged campaign are consistent with broader geopolitical aims. “From a point of view of limiting Western countries’ influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to use the perceived performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — to undermine the appeal of the Rafale,” he said.

“They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region.”

The French government is expected to step up diplomatic engagement with affected partner states and reinforce the credibility of its military exports. While no formal complaint has been lodged publicly, the affair highlights the strategic rivalry unfolding across defence markets and the growing use of digital influence operations to advance state interests.