Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif made a startling claim: four Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets were electronically jammed on the night of April 29-30 by Pakistani forces near the Line of Control [LoC] in the disputed Kashmir region, forcing them to retreat and make emergency landings in Srinagar.

According to posts on X citing Asif’s statement, the Pakistani Air Force deployed its Chinese-made Chengdu J-10C fighters, backed by advanced electronic warfare systems, to disrupt the Rafales’ radar and communication systems.

The alleged incident, which India has not confirmed, has sparked intense debate about the capabilities of China’s rapidly advancing military technology and its p

While the claim remains unverified and carries the risk of being propaganda, it raises critical questions about the evolving landscape of aerial warfare and the growing sophistication of electronic countermeasures.

The reported encounter occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, following a deadly terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that killed 26 tourists, mostly Indian nationals.

India accused Pakistan of sponsoring the attack, a charge Islamabad vehemently denied, while both sides engaged in diplomatic and military posturing, including cross-border skirmishes along the LoC. Pakistan’s state-run media, including PTV News, reported that its air force detected and chased Indian Rafale jets conducting reconnaissance near the LoC, forcing them to “retreat in panic.”

Asif’s assertion, echoed by outlets like Clash Report, goes further, claiming the Rafales’ advanced systems were rendered inoperable by Pakistan’s electronic warfare capabilities, a feat that, if true, would mark a significant technological achievement for Pakistan and its Chinese-supplied arsenal.

The Chengdu J-10C, at the heart of Pakistan’s claim, is a single-engine, multirole fighter developed by China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corporation. Introduced to the Pakistani Air Force in March 2022, the J-10C represents a cornerstone of Pakistan’s efforts to modernize its fleet in response to India’s acquisition of 36 Rafale jets from France.

Powered by a Chinese WS-10B turbofan engine, the J-10C can reach speeds of Mach 1.8 and has an operational range of approximately 1,250 miles with external fuel tanks. Its active electronically scanned array [AESA] radar, believed to be a variant of the KLJ-10, provides enhanced target detection and tracking capabilities.

The aircraft is armed with a mix of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, including the long-range PL-15 missile, which boasts a range exceeding 120 miles, and the PL-10, a short-range missile with advanced infrared homing.