PARIS, France, November 23 (ANI): The French Navy sharply criticized a Pakistan-based media outlet for spreading “misinformation and disinformation” about India’s Operation Sindoor, conducted against Pakistan-sponsored terrorist sites following the April Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. The response came after Pakistan’s Geo TV published an article on November 21 claiming that a French naval commander had validated Pakistan’s air superiority and asserted that Indian Rafale jets were shot down during border skirmishes.
The Navy said the report not only misquoted French officers but even used the wrong name, referring to the officer as “Jacques Launay” instead of his actual name, Captain Yvan Launay. In a statement issued on its official X account, the Marine Nationale said all remarks attributed to Captain Launay were fabricated. “These statements were attributed to Captain Launay, who never gave his consent for any form of publication. The article contains extensive misinformation and disinformation,” it stated.
The disputed article also claimed that a French commander told an Indo-Pacific conference that the Pakistan Air Force performed “much better” during the May 6–7 confrontation involving more than 140 fighter jets. It further alleged that he confirmed Indian Rafales were shot down and tied the outcome to supposed Chinese support. The French Navy said none of these claims were true.
According to the Navy, Captain Launay’s actual role is limited to commanding the naval air station at Landivisiau, where Rafale Marine aircraft are based, contradicting Pakistan’s portrayal of him as a senior operational authority involved in India-Pakistan conflict dynamics. His presentation at the conference, France said, was purely technical, describing Rafale Marine missions, the carrier strike group concept, and the challenges pilots face in high-intensity air combat.
The Navy clarified that when asked about Operation Sindoor, Captain Launay neither confirmed nor denied any claims about losses and declined to comment on allegations of Chinese jamming of Indian aircraft. It also said he never referenced the Chinese J-10, directly contradicting Pakistani media reports.
Geo TV further claimed that Launay blamed Rafale performance issues on operational misuse rather than technical failure, quoting him as saying the aircraft “can compete and defeat the Chinese J-10C in any combat situation.” The French Navy rejected this narrative as well, reiterating that he “never mentioned the Chinese J-10,” dismissing the claim as another fabrication. (ANI)
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