Debunking the Hype
Victorious Doesn’t Scream—Sometimes they Smile Silently
The Buzz That Gripped
In recent days, rumors have surged across newsrooms and social media platforms, from Islamabad to New York, from Delhi’s Lutyens Circuit to the war rooms of military analysts.
The claim?
“Six Indian Rafales shot down by Pakistan.”
The excitement in Pakistani media was palpable.
Screens flashed headlines like “India suffers massive air losses” and “Pakistan
proves air dominance.” Twitter trends were ablaze. Some Western media
houses—often eager to jump onto “India-in-crisis” narratives—waited cautiously
for confirmation.
But as with most hyper-nationalist fantasies wrapped in disinformation, the truth lay buried under layers of noise, screenshots, video game clips, and wishful thinking.
The Mirage of “Proof” – Pakistan’s Video
Game Strategy
Let’s start with the basics. The entire foundation of
the Rafale-down narrative from Pakistan was built not on evidence from
satellites or even open-source military tracking, but on video game footage and
dubiously edited clips.
Yes, you read that right.
Media channels like ARY News, Geo TV, and Samaa TV
boldly aired fake content that even amateur analysts quickly traced back to video
simulation games like Arma 3 and DCS (Digital Combat Simulator). Some clips
still had the game HUD (Heads-Up Display) visible!
Yet these “sources” were paraded as proof of Pakistani military success against India’s elite fighter fleet—Rafales, the pride of Indian Air Force (IAF).
Drag Subramanian Swamy Into It – The
Misinformation Factory
As if doctored videos weren’t enough, Pakistan’s media
machine shifted gears. In a bold move, they attributed fake statements to none
other than Dr. Subramanian Swamy, a senior Indian politician known for his
sharp tongue and independent views.
The claim?
That Swamy admitted Pakistan had shot down Indian
Rafales, and that the Rafale deal itself was tainted by corruption.
But here's the cold truth:
Dr. Swamy made no such statement. Not then, not ever.
Multiple fact-checking agencies, Indian media houses,
and Swamy’s own social media presence confirmed he never commented on any such
loss. There was no Rafale-specific admission, no scandal revelation, no
endorsement of Pakistani claims.
In fact, when confronted, Pakistani media offered no
retraction, only silence. But the damage was done—rumours had spread like
wildfire, and clickbait had taken over reason.
The Role of Leftist & Western Media
As Pakistani media launched its propaganda campaign,
many Indian left-liberal outlets remained suspiciously silent. Some even seemed
to be waiting—waiting for confirmation, or perhaps, for permission to join the
bandwagon.
Meanwhile, sections of Western press, ever-curious
when India asserts itself militarily, began spinning vague statements into
dramatic headlines, often without sourcing or verification.
This is not a new trend. From the Balakot airstrikes
of 2019 to recent border skirmishes with China, Western media has often
questioned India’s claims while giving generous airtime to adversarial nations.
But then came a twist that shut many mouths.
CDS Speaks: And The World Listens
In an exclusive interview to Bloomberg Television,
India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) finally spoke.
And his words were measured, calculated, and precise.
“The good part is that we are able to understand the
tactical mistake which we made, remedy it, rectify it and then implement it
again after two days and flew all our jets again, targeting at long range.”
These words sparked a second media frenzy. “Jets were
shot down!”, screamed the headlines. But was that really what he said?
Let’s read again—slowly, carefully, and completely.
“…and then implement it again after two days and flew all
our jets again, targeting at long range.”
Did he say any jet was destroyed?
No.
Did he say Rafales were downed?
No.
In fact, the emphasis on “flew all our jets again”
clearly indicates that not a single jet was lost permanently. There may have
been a tactical error. There may have been a brief period of operational delay.
But there was no loss of aircraft.
Understanding the Tactical Error: What
Could Have Happened?
While the specifics of the "tactical
mistake" are classified (and rightly so), we can hypothesize based on
standard air combat practices.
A tactical error could mean:
Failure to account for enemy radar jamming
A temporary software glitch in mission programming
Decoy maneuvers gone awry
Or even logistical missteps in timing or fuel
allocation
The fact that “after two days… all our jets flew
again” confirms that whatever the issue was, it was rectified swiftly, and India
re-engaged with precision strikes.
The Real Story: Chinese Systems Were
Crushed
What’s not being reported as much, however, is the success
of Indian strikes.
Multiple Pakistani airbases equipped with Chinese air
defense systems were targeted and rendered inoperative.
These systems, many operated by Chinese PLA
contractors or technicians, failed to intercept Indian long-range strikes.
Sources suggest that several Chinese personnel may
have died, but China has not acknowledged any losses—maintaining their usual
strategic silence.
This was a major embarrassment for Beijing.
The same systems that China touted as superior to
American and Israeli defences were decimated in a matter of minutes. India
didn’t just target Pakistani airfields; it also exposed the flaws in Chinese
military tech—in real combat conditions. No wonder China is now “revisiting its
technological architecture.”
The Real Takeaway: Propaganda vs Precision
To those cheering India’s “losses” in hopes of
boosting Pakistan’s fragile ego, here’s a reality check:
No Indian Rafales were shot down.
Pakistan presented no credible evidence.
Chinese tech failed under fire.
Indian forces adapted rapidly and re-engaged.
And finally, the CDS never admitted any loss—only a
lesson, which was swiftly turned into strategy. India doesn’t need to answer
every rumor. In the age of information warfare, silence is often part of the
doctrine.
A Word to Indian Citizens: Learn to Read
Between Lines
When the Chief of Defence Staff speaks, every word is
chosen carefully. Don’t let media dramatics confuse you. The truth, as always,
lies in the details.
We don’t publish battle logs in newspapers for a
reason. We don’t reveal tactical delays to the world because it helps the
enemy. And we don’t confirm fantasy losses because someone on Twitter demands
it.
Victorious Doesn’t Scream—Sometimes they Smile Silently
In war, not every victory is visible on a map.
Sometimes, the real triumph is in exposing your enemy’s lies, learning your own
lessons, and returning to the skies—stronger, smarter, and still flying.
India’s Rafales are not down. They are up in the sky,
as always—watching, waiting, and ready.
By Pradeep Mahaur – Pradeep Mahaur Magazine
Insights on Hindu Wisdom and Global Affairs from an Indic perspective.
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