This revelation came through China’s state broadcaster CCTV, where engineers from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) described their involvement in supporting Pakistani operations.
The admission marks a significant moment in the India‑Pakistan conflict narrative, as Beijing had previously refrained from acknowledging any on‑ground role in the confrontation.
The backdrop to this admission lies in the terrorist attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, which claimed 26 lives. India responded firmly with Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror‑related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir.
These strikes eliminated over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish‑e‑Mohammed, Lashkar‑e‑Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The operation was widely seen as a decisive escalation, demonstrating India’s ability to hit deep inside Pakistani territory with precision.
Zhang Heng, an engineer from AVIC’s Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, recounted his experiences at Pakistani air bases during the conflict. He described the constant roar of fighter jets, the wail of air‑raid sirens, and the extreme heat that reached 50 degrees Celsius by late morning.
He emphasised the mental and physical strain endured by the Chinese support teams, but also their determination to ensure that the J‑10CE fighter jets operated at full combat potential.
His testimony highlighted the depth of the China‑Pakistan defence relationship, extending beyond arms sales into direct battlefield support.
Xu Da, another AVIC engineer, likened the J‑10CE fighter jet to a child nurtured and handed over to Pakistan. He expressed confidence in the aircraft’s performance, noting that its success during the conflict was not surprising but inevitable once given the opportunity.
The J‑10CE, an export variant of the J‑10C 4.5‑generation fighter, is Pakistan’s most advanced combat aircraft. Islamabad ordered 36 of these fighters along with 250 PL‑15 long‑range missiles in 2020, making Pakistan the only operator of J‑10Cs outside China.
India has long warned of China’s deepening military footprint in Pakistan. In July 2025, the Indian Army stated that 81 per cent of Pakistan’s military hardware is of Chinese origin, describing Pakistan as a “live lab” for Chinese military technology.
This includes the co‑developed JF‑17 Thunder fleet, the J‑10C multirole fighters, and advanced missile systems. Reports now suggest that Pakistan is preparing to induct 40 Shenyang J‑35 fifth‑generation stealth fighters, which would place it among a select group of nations with stealth combat capability.
Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance), provided a detailed breakdown of Operation Sindoor. He explained that 21 targets were identified using a combination of technology and human intelligence, with nine ultimately selected for engagement.
He stressed that the strategic messaging was unambiguous: India would no longer absorb the pain of terror attacks without decisive retaliation. He also noted that China’s role went beyond supplying equipment, providing Pakistan with real‑time intelligence and surveillance updates during the conflict. Turkey too played a supporting role, adding another layer to the multi‑actor dynamic.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has documented that China sold $8.2 billion worth of arms to Pakistan since 2015, with nearly two‑thirds of China’s exports between 2020 and 2024 going to Islamabad.
This makes Pakistan China’s largest weapons client, underscoring the strategic depth of their partnership. The US Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in its 2025 report observed that India perceives China as its primary adversary, with Pakistan seen as an ancillary problem to be managed.
This assessment reflects the reality that China’s involvement in South Asia is no longer limited to the economic or diplomatic sphere but extends into direct military engagement.
The admission by Chinese engineers of their presence at Pakistani air bases during Operation Sindoor confirms what Indian analysts have long suspected: that China is using Pakistan as a testing ground for its advanced platforms and systems in real‑world conflict scenarios.
This development raises serious questions about the evolving security architecture in South Asia, where India faces not just one adversary across its western border but a combined threat matrix involving China and Pakistan.
The revelation also underscores the need for India to continue strengthening its indigenous defence ecosystem and air defence capabilities to counter this dual challenge.
NDTV
