- Pierre-Henri Chuet, a former French Navy pilot, has been placed under formal investigation in France over allegations of intelligence activities benefiting China after he claimed that the Indian Air Force lost Rafale jets during the May 2025 conflict.
- French authorities received a referral from the Ministry of the Armed Forces on February 19, 2025 concerning Chuet, who was suspected of sharing intelligence with a foreign power.
- Chuet was questioned by France’s domestic intelligence service, the DGSI, during the week of July 20, 2026, and subsequently placed under formal investigation.
- He faces multiple charges, including disclosure of national defence secrets and intelligence with a foreign power, as part of the formal investigation.
- Chuet's claims about the IAF losing Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor in May 2025 drew significant attention and controversy, particularly regarding the performance of Chinese-made fighters.
- In a YouTube video published on May 10, 2025, Chuet asserted that the IAF lost at least one Rafale jet, attributing the loss to a Pakistan Air Force Chengdu J-10C fighter.
- Independent assessments later indicated that India did lose aircraft during the conflict, with evidence pointing to at least one Rafale among the losses.
- Chuet has been criticized for his analysis of aerial engagements and for praising Chinese fighters as 'Rafale killers'.
Pierre-Henri Chuet, a dual French-Canadian national and former French Navy pilot, has been placed under investigation for allegedly sharing sensitive military information with China. Chuet, known online as Até Chuet, gained notoriety for his claims regarding the Indian Air Force's losses during the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.1
Chuet was questioned by France’s domestic intelligence service, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Intérieure (DGSI), and subsequently charged with multiple offenses, including disclosure of national defense secrets and intelligence with a foreign power. He faces serious allegations stemming from his public assertions that the Indian Air Force lost Rafale jets to Chinese-origin warplanes during the military confrontation known as Operation Sindoor.345
In a YouTube video published on May 10, 2025, Chuet confidently claimed that a Pakistan Air Force J-10C had shot down an Indian Rafale using a PL-15 missile, a statement that drew significant attention and later scrutiny. Independent assessments later confirmed that India did lose aircraft, including at least one Rafale.67
French authorities began investigating Chuet after receiving a referral from the Ministry of the Armed Forces in February 2025, which raised concerns about his potential intelligence activities. Reports indicate that Chuet made two trips to China in 2018 and 2019 while still serving, without notifying his superiors, violating military regulations.2
As the investigation unfolds, Chuet remains under judicial supervision, with serious implications for national security and international relations.
“Chuet faces multiple charges, including sharing intelligence with a foreign power and disclosure of national defense secrets, after being questioned by France's DGSI. His public claims about the IAF's losses during Operation Sindoor have drawn significant attention and scrutiny, leading to his formal investigation.”
SSBCrack
