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India’s government has reportedly blocked access to The Wire, a well-known independent news outlet, after a controversial interview suggested that four Indian fighter jets were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
The interview featured prominent Indian Journalist, Karan Thapar, alongside Editor of Force magazine, Pravin Sawhney, who admitted that four Indian Air Force (IAF) jets had been shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) during recent tensions.
In a widely shared video clip, senior journalist Karan Thapar interrupted defense analyst Pravin during a live discussion and confirmed that three Indian jets were shot down in Kashmir and one in Bhatinda.
Pravin acknowledged the statement, lending weight to reports of multiple Indian Air Force losses in recent tensions against Pakistan.
Indian Gvt blocked “The Wire” today after Pravin’s confession alongside Karan Thapar, that PAF downed 4 jets of the IAF. The debate is over. Condemnable to block a platform like “The Wire”. pic.twitter.com/746rGCTeKg
— Syed Muzammil Shah (@SyedMuzammilOFL) May 9, 2025
Meanwhile, Reuters reported confirmation from two senior US officials that Chinese-made J-10 jets were used by Pakistan to shoot down at least two Indian fighter jets.
One official noted “high confidence” in intelligence indicating J-10s launched air-to-air missiles, marking a notable milestone in Chinese aviation’s operational credibility.
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The incident is especially significant for Washington, where analysts are closely watching the performance of Chinese aircraft against Western counterparts amid rising Indo-Pacific tensions.
The internet service providers are saying multiple things. We have learnt it is per orders of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. pic.twitter.com/GCz4d6EggP
— The Wire (@thewire_in) May 9, 2025
One Rafale jet, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, was confirmed as downed, while the use of US-made F-16s was ruled out in this engagement.
Although India has not admitted to any aircraft losses, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters that three French-made Rafale jets were taken down using J-10s.
In total, Islamabad claims to have shot down five Indian military aircraft in air-to-air combat.
Amid international concern, countries including China, the US, and Russia have urged both sides to de-escalate the tension.
While Dassault Aviation and MBDA, makers of the Rafale and Meteor missile, have not commented – possibly due to a French public holiday – this marks the first Western confirmation of China’s J-10s being used in active combat against NATO-standard jets.
Editor at Times of Karachi
