Amid rapidly escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, Pakistani state media launched a series of bold claims regarding an aerial encounter near the Line of Control (LoC).

According to reports broadcast by outlets such as PTV News and Radio Pakistan, four Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighter jets were conducting patrols within Indian airspace over Jammu and Kashmir on the night of April 29-30, 2025.

Pakistani sources assert that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) swiftly detected the presence of these jets and responded with such "diligence" that the Indian pilots "panicked" and were "forced to flee" back into Indian territory.

The Pakistani narrative, repeated across multiple local news platforms, framed this incident as a demonstration of PAF's high alertness and readiness to counter any perceived Indian military adventurism.

The timing of these claims coincided with public warnings by Pakistan's Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, who stated that Islamabad had "credible intelligence" of an imminent Indian strike within the next 24 to 36 hours-allegedly in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, which India has linked to cross-border terrorism, an accusation Pakistan denies.

Indian media, meanwhile, confirmed that four Rafale jets did indeed conduct a patrol over the region on the specified night, but emphasized that these sorties were routine, conducted entirely within Indian territorial boundaries, and did not involve any incursion into Pakistani airspace.

Indian defence sources and former Air Force officers dismissed the Pakistani reports as psychological warfare and propaganda, pointing out the lack of any visual evidence, radar data, or official statements from the Indian side to corroborate Pakistan's version of events. They characterized the Pakistani claims as part of a broader information campaign designed to project vigilance and military deterrence during a period of heightened alert.

The broader context for these developments is one of spiralling diplomatic and military friction. Following the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and imposed an airspace ban on Pakistani flights, while Pakistan threatened to suspend the Simla Agreement and closed its own airspace to Indian aircraft. Both sides have expelled diplomats, increased military readiness, and exchanged accusations of cross-border aggression.

No independent verification has emerged to support Pakistan's claims of having forced Indian Rafales to retreat, and Indian authorities have not acknowledged any such encounter. Defence analysts note that routine combat air patrols by the IAF near the LoC are standard practice in times of tension and do not necessarily indicate preparation for offensive action.

While Pakistan has made high-profile claims of forcing Indian Rafale jets to retreat near the LoC, these assertions remain unsubstantiated by independent or Indian sources. The episode underscores the ongoing information warfare and the precarious security environment between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, each seeking to project strength and readiness as diplomatic relations reach a new low.

TOI