Pakistan has claimed to have shot down at least two Indian fighter jets using Chinese-made J-10 aircraft during a military exchange on Tuesday night. The claim was supported by two U.S. officials in statements to Reuters.
According to the Reuters report, the incident serves as a significant example of the operational effectiveness of China’s advanced J-10 fighter jets.
When approached for comment, a spokesperson for the Indian Air Force declined to respond.
India launched a military operation named “Operation Sindoor” on Tuesday night, targeting nine locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In response, Pakistan mounted a counteroffensive and claimed to have downed five Indian aircraft during the confrontation.
One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Pakistan used J-10 jets to fire air-to-air missiles, successfully downing at least two Indian fighter jets. Another official added that one of the downed jets was a French-made Rafale.
Both officials emphasized that Pakistan did not deploy its U.S.-supplied F-16 fighter jets in the operation.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters that three Rafale jets were brought down using Chinese J-10s.
In total, Pakistan has claimed it destroyed five Indian fighter jets during the air battle, although India has not officially acknowledged the loss of any aircraft.
