SOURCE: AFI
A photo circulated by several Pakistani social media handles, claiming to show the rear-stabilizer of an Indian Rafale fighter jet allegedly downed by Pakistan during India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 7, 2025, has been exposed as a fabrication. The image, widely shared on platforms like X, was presented as evidence of Pakistan’s military success in countering Indian airstrikes. However, analysis by multiple sources, including AI-based image detection tools, has confirmed the photo as a human-generated fake, highlighting the role of misinformation in the escalating India-Pakistan conflict.
The controversy emerged amid Pakistan’s claims that its air defence systems shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafale jets, one Su-30MKI, one MiG-29, and an IAI Heron drone, during India’s retaliatory operation targeting nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. ‘Operation Sindoor,’ executed in response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, involved 80-90 Indian aircraft deploying BrahMos and SCALP cruise missiles.
The photo, shared by handles such as @PakistanCyberForce and @DefencePK , depicted a metallic structure resembling a jet’s rear-stabilizer, purportedly recovered from a crash site in Pakistan. Captions claimed it was proof of a Rafale jet downed by Pakistani forces, with some posts alleging the wreckage was found near Sialkot or Muzaffarabad. The image gained traction, fueling narratives of Pakistani military superiority and prompting Indian users to counter with skepticism.
However, discrepancies in the image quickly surfaced. Aviation experts noted that the depicted stabilizer did not match the Rafale’s design, which features a distinctive delta wing and twin vertical stabilizers. The photo’s structure appeared inconsistent with the Rafale’s composite materials and lacked specific markings, such as serial numbers or IAF insignia, typically found on military wreckage. Posts on X, including one by @IndianDefenceRA , pointed out that the image resembled older, unrelated wreckage photos, possibly from a different aircraft type or conflict.
Further analysis using AI-based image detection tools, such as those employed by fact-checking platforms, confirmed the photo as a human-generated fake. Tools designed to identify AI-manipulated or manually created images detected irregularities in pixel patterns, lighting, and metadata, suggesting the image was either heavily edited or entirely fabricated. A report by idrw.org, an Indian defence news portal, highlighted similar inconsistencies, noting that the photo’s shadows and textures did not align with natural conditions expected at a crash site. The findings echoed a 2019 incident where Pakistani media used a staged photo of a downed Indian jet, later debunked as a mock-up.
The fake image’s circulation reflects a broader pattern of misinformation in the India-Pakistan conflict. Pakistani media outlets, such as Dunya News, previously shared outdated images of a Rajasthan MiG-29 crash to claim Indian losses, while India faced scrutiny for unverified claims in past conflicts. The current disinformation campaign aligns with Pakistan’s narrative of resilience, especially after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed Pakistani forces jammed Indian Rafale communications and forced mission aborts. Indian officials dismissed these assertions, citing uninterrupted UAV feeds that captured all nine strikes in real-time.
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