ISLAMABAD: A satirical video by Chinese TikTokers mocking India’s loss of Rafale fighter jets to Pakistan has gone viral on social media, further fueling public discourse amid escalating regional tensions.
The video features four Chinese content creators performing a parody dance while dressed in exaggerated versions of Indian attire. Set to a humorous remix, the performance ridicules India following Pakistan’s successful downing of several Rafale jets during recent hostilities.
The parody has resonated across platforms like TikTok and Weibo, where it has amassed millions of views. Many Chinese users see the video as a display of support for Pakistan, especially in light of growing military cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad.
The mockery comes on the heels of a dramatic escalation in India-Pakistan tensions, triggered by an April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed 26 lives. India blamed Pakistan without presenting evidence, a charge strongly denied by Islamabad.
In response, India closed the Wagah land border, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, and revoked Pakistani visas. Pakistan countered with warnings that any interference with water flow would constitute an “act of war” and sealed the border from its side as well.
The conflict intensified further on May 6 and 7, with Pakistan’s military reporting Indian missile strikes across cities including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bahawalpur. Pakistan retaliated swiftly, targeting military posts and downing five Indian fighter jets, including four French-made Rafales.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistan’s armed forces, revealed that Pakistan could have downed even more jets but opted for restraint. A senior French intelligence source confirmed to CNN that one Rafale was definitively lost, marking the aircraft’s first known combat loss globally.
Despite mounting evidence and foreign commentary, Indian media has largely refrained from confirming the losses. The Hindu, a major Indian daily, briefly published a report acknowledging the crash of three jets before swiftly removing it, sparking accusations of a media blackout.
American and French commentators have expressed concern over the incident’s implications for India’s air power narrative, particularly since the Rafales were considered a counterbalance to Pakistan’s Chinese-made J-10C fighters.
In parallel, Pakistan also announced the neutralization of 25 Israeli-made Harop drones sent by India. According to the ISPR, these loitering munitions were intercepted using both electronic and conventional defense systems.
The total number of Indian drones downed by Pakistan has now reached 77, according to security sources, with most intercepted during or shortly after the May 6–7 escalation.
Despite the use of Israeli drones and advanced warplanes, Pakistani cities like Karachi witnessed a surge in public morale, with citizens taking to the streets in support of the military’s defensive actions.
