Kuala Lampur, May 12 -- In the volatile skies above South Asia, a silent tremor has shaken the self-assurance of one of the world's largest democracies.

India's acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France between 2020 and 2022, at a staggering cost of approximately US$8.7 to 9.4 billion, was widely celebrated as a game-changer. These 4.5-generation multirole fighters were touted as the crown jewels of the Indian Air Force (IAF), symbolising India's growing strategic autonomy and technological ascendancy. Today, however, that symbolism is under scrutiny.

If it is confirmed that a Rafale was either downed or deterred by Pakistan's Chinese-supplied J-10C fighters or by an integrated radar and missile system orchestrated with Chinese ...