Pakistan's Chinese-made jet brought down two Indian fighter aircraft, US officials say

A top Chinese-made Pakistani fighter shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two U.S. officials told Reuters, marking a major milestone for Beijing's advanced fighter jet.

One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian fighter jets - bringing down at least two.

Another official said at least one Indian jet that was shot down was a French-made Rafale fighter aircraft.

Delhi has not acknowledged the loss of any of its planes and instead said it carried out successful strikes against what it said was "terrorist" infrastructure inside Pakistan.

In France, Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and the MBDA consortium, which makes the Meteor air-to-air missile, could not immediately be reached for comment on a public holiday.

Pakistan's military had claimed it downed five Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafales, in response to India's strikes on what New Delhi described as "terrorist camps." Indian officials have not yet responded to these claims about aircraft losses.

Debris recovered from a crash site in Indian-administered Kashmir reportedly shows components with French manufacturing labels, though experts have not conclusively identified the wreckage as belonging to a Rafale jet.

The loss would represent the first time a Rafale has been downed in combat operations anywhere in the world. India operates a fleet of 36 Rafale jets, purchased from France in a deal worth approximately $8.7 billion.Military analysts note that confirmation of the Rafale's downing could have implications for perceptions of air superiority in the region.

"The Rafale has been marketed globally as nearly invincible in modern combat scenarios," said defense analyst Rahul Bedi in New Delhi. "Its loss would raise questions about either the aircraft's capabilities or the tactics employed during this operation."

The French military has maintained official silence on the incident as tensions between India and Pakistan remain high, with both sides warning of potential further retaliation.