BBC Verify Analysis on the Claim of Shooting Down Five Indian Warplanes, Including Rafale – and the Story of the Bathinda YouTuber

Pakistan's Claim

In May this year, Pakistan’s military claimed that it had shot down five Indian Air Force jets. Before this, the Indian military had claimed to have struck nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

India asserted that these were militant targets, but Pakistan's military spokesperson denied this.

Indian authorities admitted suffering some losses during the four-day conflict, after which they changed their strategy.

When asked about Pakistan's claims during a press conference, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that an appropriate response would be given at the right time.

Following these events, reports emerged from Pakistan claiming that Indian fighter jets had been downed. Various social media accounts began circulating such claims late at night, and these were followed by rebuttals and counterclaims from both sides of the border.

However, in a press conference following India’s airstrikes, DG ISPR Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif formally announced that five Indian Air Force jets had been shot down.


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BBC Verify's Analysis

BBC Verify confirmed the authenticity of three videos claimed to show the wreckage of a French-made Rafale fighter jet, used by the Indian Air Force.

One of the videos was geolocated by BBC Verify to the Indian state of Punjab, specifically in Bathinda. The footage shows uniformed personnel collecting debris from a crashed fighter aircraft.

Two more nighttime videos from the same location were also verified. One shows wreckage scattered across fields. Another depicts an airborne object catching fire in the sky and then crashing into an open field.

Justin Crump, a former British Army officer and head of the risk intelligence firm Sibylline, told BBC Verify that the debris appeared to be of a French missile used in both Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter jets.

Another image circulating on social media shows a fighter jet’s tail fin marked "BS001 Rafale." A Google reverse image search revealed that no previous version of this image existed online.

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The Bathinda YouTuber

On Wednesday morning, after reports of aircraft debris surfaced in a village in Bathinda district, Punjab, BBC Punjabi correspondent Rajesh Kumar arrived at the site but was stopped by authorities about a kilometer away.

A local YouTuber (whose identity is withheld for security reasons) had notified police about the debris. He told BBC Punjabi that while he recorded video footage, he chose not to publish it after an official advisory was issued.

According to him, the wreckage—resembling parts of a fighter aircraft—was found in the village of Akalian Kalan in Bathinda, and some debris also fell into fields in the neighboring district of Faridkot.

He said a resident of the village contacted him after debris hit their house. “We personally saw the wreckage in their courtyard. We do have footage but chose not to release it publicly.” BBC could not independently verify these claims.

He added, “As soon as we saw the debris, my colleague and I contacted senior police officers. Shortly after, police arrived and sealed off the area.” Media was told to stay at least a kilometer away, and the Faridkot district administration issued an advisory against publishing any video or photo without official permission.

He said, “Instructions were sent via WhatsApp messages stating that no one should post any media without authorization from district or police authorities.”

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Pakistan Army’s Claim: 'Five Jets Including Rafale'

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif claimed during a press conference that the five Indian jets downed included:

Three Rafale fighters

One MiG-29

One Sukhoi jet

One Heron combat drone


According to the spokesperson:

These aircraft were shot down in Bathinda (Indian Punjab), Jammu, two in Awantipora, one in Akhnoor, and one in Srinagar.

The drone was included among these.


He stated that the Indian jets were targeted by the Pakistan Air Force only after they attacked Pakistani territory and released their weapons.

He added, “These aircraft were engaged after they had released their munitions. Only then were they targeted and shot down.”

He further claimed that Pakistani forces could have shot down more than ten Indian aircraft, but they exercised restraint.

He stated, “At no point were Indian aircraft allowed to penetrate Pakistani airspace. Similarly, no Pakistani aircraft entered Indian airspace.”

He also claimed, “All Pakistani Air Force aircraft remained completely safe.”

As of now, India’s military and Air Force have not responded to these claims, nor have they published any information on their official channels.

Even during India’s own press conference about its military operations, no mention was made of Pakistani claims or aircraft losses.

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What BBC Witnessed in Pulwama

Although the Indian government has not officially confirmed or denied any of these claims, a BBC correspondent observed debris being cleared by bulldozers in the town of Pampore in Pulwama, in Indian-administered Kashmir.

According to BBC reporter Riyaz Masroor, local residents said they heard loud jet engine noises followed by a powerful explosion. Debris from what appeared to be an aircraft was being collected from different parts of the town.

He said an Indian Air Force team was present to inspect the wreckage, but no official confirmation was given regarding the type or origin of the aircraft.

The crash site was cordoned off with barricades, and no one was allowed access.

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Reports from Other Areas

BBC’s correspondent also reported a crash in Ramban district (Jammu). Panchayat head Zahoor Ahmad from Pantiyal village told BBC that a loud explosion occurred alongside the sound of jet engines, after which he accompanied the police to the site.

Additional reports also came in from Bathinda, Punjab, where another aircraft reportedly crashed near the village of Akalian Kalan. Indian media reported at least one death and nine injuries in the incident.

Conflicting Reports

So far, the Indian Air Force has not issued any statement regarding the alleged downing of the aircraft. India’s newspaper The Hindu, citing Indian officials, reported that three aircraft had crashed in Indian-administered Kashmir.

However, The Hindu later removed this report from its social media platforms, stating:

> “We have taken down the post regarding the involvement of Indian aircraft in Operation Sandur because it could not be officially verified.”



International news agency Reuters also reported that four government officials from Indian-administered Kashmir confirmed that three aircraft had crashed in different areas.
The report further claimed that the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the pilots of these aircraft had been taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, several videos circulated on social media showing what appeared to be aircraft debris—but BBC could not verify the authenticity of these videos.

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History of Conflicting Claims Between Indian and Pakistani Air Forces

These recent claims once again echo the tensions following the Pulwama attack and India’s Balakot airstrikes, which were followed by Pakistan’s retaliation and claims of having shot down Indian fighter jets.

To recap:

In 2019, after the Pulwama attack, the Indian Air Force carried out an airstrike on what it described as a militant camp in Balakot, Pakistan.

The next day, the Pakistan Air Force retaliated with strikes in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan then claimed to have shot down two Indian fighter jets.


In contrast, the Indian Air Force claimed that it had shot down a Pakistani F-16 jet.
They even held a press conference to support their claim.

Indian Air Force officials stated that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, whose aircraft was shot down and who was later captured by Pakistan, had successfully downed a Pakistani F-16 before being hit.

Pakistan repeatedly denied this claim.
Subsequently, U.S. magazine Foreign Policy reported that U.S. defense officials had conducted a count of Pakistan’s F-16s and found them all accounted for.

Following that, Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor stated:

> “India’s claims about the attack and its effects are false, and the time has come for India to speak the truth about the losses it suffered, including the destruction of another aircraft by Pakistan.”

To this day, Pakistan maintains that it shot down two Indian aircraft in 2019.
Meanwhile, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind awarded Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman the Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award, for allegedly shooting down a Pakistani F-16 in February 2019.