Last night, the world witnessed an extraordinary military debacle. In a reckless act of aggression, India launched air and missile strikes against Pakistan, only to be met with a decisive and humiliating defeat at the hands of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
Pakistan’s defense forces claim it shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three advanced Rafale aircraft, alongside a MiG-29 and an SU-30. In addition, Pakistan destroyed an Indian brigade headquarters in retaliation while keeping all its own jets safe and operational.
The scale of India’s failure is staggering. Despite deploying cutting-edge fighter jets procured from France and other international partners, India’s air force failed spectacularly to penetrate Pakistan’s defenses or achieve any strategic objective. Instead, they suffered significant losses, both material and reputational. For a country that boasts about its rising military prowess, India’s air force performance exposed glaring weaknesses in its operational capacity, command structure, and ability to integrate modern technologies in warfare. This debacle is not just an embarrassment for India—it is a matter of concern for every country that has signed or is considering defense agreements with New Delhi, particularly France. The Rafale jets, a symbol of India’s growing defense ties with Europe, have been marketed as game-changers in South Asia.
The Rafale is an exceptional aircraft, no doubt. It performed with distinction in various theatres of war under the French Air Force. But what unfolded last night suggests that India’s air force is simply not equipped—organizationally, tactically, or intellectually—to handle such sophisticated platforms. The best technology in the world cannot compensate for poor leadership, inadequate training, or flawed strategic planning.
If an air force cannot deploy modern aircraft without losing them in the opening hours of a conflict, the problem lies not in the machine but in the men and systems behind it. India’s inability to protect or effectively utilize its Rafales is a reflection of its military’s systemic deficiencies, including inadequate pilot preparation, poor integration of assets, and overconfidence rooted in political chest-thumping rather than real-world readiness. For France and other defense partners, this should raise alarm bells. Military hardware sales are not simply commercial transactions; they carry geopolitical, reputational, and ethical implications. A supplier’s credibility is partially tied to the end user’s performance.
France has invested significant diplomatic capital in pushing Rafale sales globally, with India being one of its flagship customers. The Indian deal was projected as a demonstration of Rafale’s superiority in a contested, high-stakes regional environment. But what message does it send to prospective buyers across the world when three Rafales are downed within a single engagement, failing to achieve even basic operational success?
It is time for France and other Western defense partners to take a hard look at India’s capacity to absorb, maintain, and operationalize complex military technology. India’s track record—from frequent crashes of newly inducted aircraft to procurement corruption scandals—should serve as a cautionary tale. Supplying advanced weapons to a country unable to wield them effectively does not strengthen a partnership; it jeopardizes the supplier’s reputation and destabilizes the region by fueling irresponsible militarism.
Beyond reputational concerns, India’s failure to deploy its advanced air force assets responsibly raises critical questions about regional security. A state that cannot operate modern military systems competently is more prone to accidents, miscalculations, and escalations. Last night’s strikes were carried out from Indian airspace, targeting civilian areas, including a mosque in Bahawalpur, resulting in civilian deaths and injuries. Such actions, combined with military incompetence, are a recipe for disaster in a nuclearized environment.
International stakeholders must ask: Is India ready for the level of responsibility that comes with operating advanced Western military technology? Or are these deals being driven solely by commercial greed and geopolitical rivalries against China? If India remains unable to utilize these weapons effectively, it will not only embarrass its suppliers but also endanger regional stability. The lesson from last night is stark: shiny jets and big defense contracts do not guarantee military competence. True military capability is built on doctrine, training, discipline, and professionalism—qualities that cannot be imported with hardware alone.
For France, for Russia, for Israel, and for every country eager to arm India, this should be a wake-up call. Defense exports to India without parallel investments in institutional reform, training, and accountability will result in more failures like last night’s fiasco. And each failure will come with reputational, political, and humanitarian costs. India’s air force has not only embarrassed itself—it has embarrassed its suppliers, its political leadership, and its strategic ambitions. Last night’s defeat was not just a military setback; it was a public exposure of a hollowed-out defense establishment that hides its weaknesses behind procurement deals and propaganda.
