The French Navy has publicly rejected claims carried by Pakistan’s Geo TV and its journalist Hamid Mir about the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict. In a post on X, the French Navy said the Geo TV article attributed statements to a French naval officer without consent, and described the report as containing “extensive misinformation and disinformation.”
The disputed Geo TV story was headlined “French commander confirms Pakistan air superiority in May 2025 combat with India,” and claimed that a French naval officer had confirmed Pakistan’s “air superiority” during the conflict. The French Navy said those claims were false.
What the French Navy said about Captain Launay
In its clarification, the French Navy gave a detailed account of what Captain Yvan Launay did and did not say. It noted that the officer’s first name was Yvan, not “Jacquis,” and that his responsibilities relate to commanding the naval air station where French Rafale Marine aircraft are based.
According to the French Navy, Captain Launay had presented the assets and missions of his naval air base, explained the role of the Rafale fighter jet, and described the French carrier strike group concept. When asked about Operation Sindoor, the Navy said, the captain neither confirmed nor denied claims that Indian aircraft had been shot down. It added that he refused to comment on possible jamming of Indian Rafales by Chinese systems and did not mention the Chinese J-10 aircraft.
The French Navy said Captain Launay spoke only in general terms as a fighter pilot about “cognitive overload” in aerial combat, the pressure created by high volumes of cockpit information, which can reduce situational awareness regardless of the number of aircraft involved.
Amit Malviya’s response
BJP leader Amit Malviya reacted to the French Navy post, saying Pakistan’s “misinformation machinery” had been exposed again. He said the Geo TV article repeated claims about Rafale losses during Operation Sindoor and described this as part of a pattern.
The French Navy has called out Pakistan’s Geo TV and its correspondent Hamid Mir for spreading “misinformation and disinformation.”
Rafale claims and the May 2025 conflict
The Rafale fighter jet, produced by France’s Dassault Aviation, has remained central to India’s air combat capability and has repeatedly featured in Pakistan’s claims since India inducted the aircraft.
During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, a campaign launched after the Pahalgam massacre, Rafale jets were used in India’s offensive strikes. Pakistan claimed it had shot down multiple Rafales using Chinese-made systems. The provided content says these claims were refuted by independent observers, Western intelligence, and now the French Navy’s clarification.
Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier had said that no Rafale was shot down by Pakistani forces. The provided content adds that India lost one Rafale during the operation, but the crash was attributed to a technical malfunction rather than enemy engagement.
Operation Sindoor involved Indian strikes on terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, followed by air and missile exchanges between the two sides.
Why the clarification matters
The French Navy’s statement directly challenges a published claim that cited a French officer to validate Pakistan’s position on the May 2025 air conflict. By specifying what was said, what was not said, and the limits of Captain Launay’s remarks, the French Navy has placed an official record against the Geo TV report and the Rafale-related claims linked to Operation Sindoor.
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