China Accused of AI-Driven Disinformation Campaign Against French Rafale Jets

China orchestrated a sophisticated online disinformation operation following the May 2025 India-Pakistan border conflict, using artificial intelligence to undermine sales of French Rafale fighter jets while promoting its own J-35 aircraft, according to a new report submitted to the U.S. Congress.

The report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission details how Beijing deployed fake social media accounts to distribute AI-generated images purporting to show debris from downed Rafale jets, falsely claiming they had been destroyed by Chinese-supplied weapons during the border standoff.

French intelligence services cited in the document assessed that the campaign specifically targeted the Rafale platform’s reputation with the aim of steering regional defense customers toward China’s fifth-generation J-35 fighters instead.

The influence operation reportedly achieved tangible results beyond simply spreading misinformation. According to the report, Chinese embassy officials successfully “convinced Indonesia to halt a purchase of Rafale jets already in process,” marking what analysts describe as a significant disruption of Jakarta’s military procurement plans and a strategic victory for China’s expanding footprint in regional defense markets.

Pakistan also participated in the information warfare, circulating what the report calls inaccurate claims about shooting down Indian Air Force aircraft during the conflict. These assertions were later debunked by independent defense analysts from multiple countries.

Dassault Aviation’s Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier publicly refuted Pakistan’s specific claim of downing three Rafales during what was known as Operation Sindoor. “What Pakistan is claiming about downing three Rafales is simply not true,” Trappier told a French defense publication in June, confirming that Dassault had received no communication from the Indian Air Force about any such losses.

While India has not officially confirmed any fighter jet losses during the operation, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh stated in August that Indian forces had shot down five Pakistani fighters and what appeared to be one airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft during the confrontation.

The Congressional report also highlights intensifying military cooperation between China and Pakistan in the months preceding the border flare-up. The two countries conducted three-week counterterrorism exercises codenamed “Warrior-VIII” between November and December 2024, and China’s naval forces participated in Pakistan’s multinational AMAN drills in February 2025.

This cooperation culminated in what appears to be a major defense agreement in June 2025, when China reportedly offered Pakistan a comprehensive military package including 40 J-35 fighter jets, KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, and ballistic missile defense systems. Pakistan subsequently announced a 20 percent increase in its defense budget for 2025-26, raising planned military spending to $9 billion despite broader cuts in government expenditure.

The disinformation campaign fits into what security experts describe as China’s expanding “gray-zone” strategy—actions that fall short of conventional warfare but advance strategic interests through information manipulation, cyber operations, and economic leverage. The report notes that Chinese state-backed groups have previously been linked to cyber-espionage campaigns targeting Indian government systems, critical infrastructure, and private companies, including vaccine manufacturers during the pandemic.

This latest revelation adds to a growing body of evidence documenting Beijing’s increasing use of generative AI and digital manipulation tools for foreign influence operations. The report additionally references earlier instances where Chinese entities deployed AI-generated content, including fabricated news anchors and social media personas, to exploit social divisions in the United States on contentious domestic issues such as immigration, drug policy, and abortion.

Defense analysts suggest the incident highlights the evolving nature of great power competition in South Asia, where traditional military confrontation is increasingly supplemented by sophisticated information warfare capabilities that can influence defense procurement decisions worth billions of dollars.