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The May conflict saw the most extensive use of Chinese weaponry by Pakistan in recent history, backed by Chinese satellite and radar support
Pakistan military | Representative Image
Pakistan praised the performance of Chinese-made weapons used during its four-day clash with India in May, calling them “exceptionally effective”, in a fresh endorsement of Beijing’s growing role as Islamabad’s primary defence supplier.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Pakistan’s military spokesperson Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, “We are open to all sorts of technology. Of course, recent Chinese platforms have demonstrated exceptionally well.”
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The May confrontation reportedly marked Pakistan’s first large-scale combat deployment of advanced Chinese systems, including the J-10C fighter jets and PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles.
Islamabad claimed its J-10Cs shot down multiple Indian aircraft, a claim New Delhi has consistently denied.
General Chaudhry said Pakistan had revised its tally of Indian aircraft losses to seven, up from six previously reported, while asserting that no Pakistani planes were downed.
“Pakistan has never tried to play with figures and facts,” he said.
Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal AP Singh stated last week that Indian forces destroyed around a dozen Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor.
Chinese Systems Dominate Pakistan’s Arsenal
The May conflict saw the most extensive use of Chinese weaponry by Pakistan in recent history, backed by Chinese satellite and radar support, according to Indian defence assessments.
China has been Pakistan’s largest defence partner for decades, with ties deepened through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), 81 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports between 2020 and 2024 came from China, making Islamabad Beijing’s biggest defence customer, accounting for nearly two-thirds of China’s total arms exports.
Pakistan has recently added the Z-10ME attack helicopter, a model similar to those deployed by China along its border with India.
In August, President Asif Ali Zardari visited the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, which manufactures the J-10 fighter jets, further signalling defence cooperation between the two allies.
‘Not In Arms Race With India’
While Pakistan continues to rely heavily on Chinese equipment, General Chaudhry said Islamabad also procures Western technology when feasible.
“Our development strategy has always been to induct the most effective, efficient, and economical platforms and technology,” he said, adding that Pakistan is “not in a military catch-up or an arms race” with India.
He acknowledged that Pakistan’s defence budget — at $10.2 billion last year — remains a fraction of India’s $86.1 billion, though both nations allocate similar proportions of their GDP to defence spending: 2.7 per cent for Pakistan and 2.3 per cent for India, according to SIPRI data cited by Bloomberg.
Pakistan
October 06, 2025, 16:11 IST
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