A French intelligence service says China has used its embassies to promote claims that Chinese-made Pakistani warplanes outperformed French Rafale jets during India-Pakistan clashes in May.

French officials say they have found that the Chinese embassies are trying to undermine Rafale sales by persuading countries that have already ordered the jets, notably Indonesia, not to buy them and instead choose Chinese-made fighters.

Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press say defence attaches in China's foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter — notably Indonesia — not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes.

French military and intelligence officials said China used its embassies to spread doubt about the capabilities of French-made Rafale fighter jets after they were used in India and Pakistan’s May fighting.

French officials believe the effort was intended to erode the Rafale jet’s credibility and derail France’s arms exports, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking anonymously to AP, French intelligence sources revealed that Chinese defense attachés at foreign embassies led coordinated lobbying efforts targeting nations that had ordered or considered acquiring Rafales.

China launched a disinformation campaign targeting Rafale fighter jets, aiming to damage their global reputation after India's use of the jets in May's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, according to French military and intelligence sources cited by the Associated Press.

French intelligence reports that China used its embassies to discredit the Rafale fighter jet's performance after its deployment in India-Pakistan clashes. This effort aims to damage the jet's reputation and sales internationally,

China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan's clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded.