Indian opposition MP Amrinder Singh shocked the Lok Sabha this week by publicly confirming that a Rafale fighter jet was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force during recent cross-border hostilities — a claim the Indian government has so far avoided addressing.
Singh, a senior leader from the Congress party and former Chief Minister of Punjab, presented what he described as “undeniable proof” of the incident. Speaking on the floor of Parliament, he said, “I saw the wreckage myself near Bhisiana Air Force Station in Bathinda, Punjab. The aircraft’s tail clearly showed the code BS-001 — a Rafale jet.”
He shared several photographs with fellow lawmakers, showing debris marked with the serial number and scattered parts believed to be from the downed aircraft. Singh said the crash resulted in one civilian death and injuries to nine others, yet the Indian government never acknowledged the incident publicly.
According to Singh, Air Marshal A.K. Bharati privately confirmed the crash, but misleadingly described the aircraft as “unidentified” in official statements, in what Singh labelled an effort to “deceive the nation.” He accused the Modi government of restricting the military’s operational freedom and hiding its failures from the public.
The incident reportedly occurred during the night between May 6 and 7, when Pakistan’s Air Force launched a retaliatory airstrike. Pakistani military officials claimed to have downed six Indian aircraft during the operation, including Rafale jets — a claim previously dismissed by Indian media.
However, Singh’s statement aligns with foreign confirmations: French defence officials have reportedly verified the loss of a Rafale, and former U.S. President Donald Trump has also acknowledged that five Indian jets were downed during the clash. The renewed spotlight on the event is now intensifying political pressure on New Delhi to clarify the status of its high-profile Rafale fleet and the truth behind the May conflict.