

This missile, just like all missiles, is just a glorified engine and a guidance system. Therefore it is a lot more maneuverable than a jet, be it Chinese or French. It even has a term called the “no-escape zone” beyond which a plane can’t escape the missile.
The pilot error therefore comes down to bad tactics/strategy and allowed themselves to get within that zone.
Whatever you think of the indian military losing planes when they have the attacker’s disadvantage and strict orders not to escalate the conflict by preemptively destroying the anti-air defenses and such, the error happened likely before the missile was even launched. And even then, the rafale is one of the most manoeuverable pmanes in the world, due to its innate aerodynamic instability that’s tamed by a complex fly-by-wire system. If one plane had a chance to escape the missile, it was the rafale.
They can’t help it anyway