Beijing, May 9, 2026 — China has publicly acknowledged for the first time that it provided direct technical assistance to Pakistan during last year’s military confrontation with India, according to reports published by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
The disclosure came during an interview aired on China’s state broadcaster CCTV, where Chinese engineers described their involvement in supporting Pakistani airbases amid the conflict triggered by India’s “Operation Sindoor.”
Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), said he was stationed in Pakistan throughout the hostilities to provide technical support.
“During the unbearable heat of May, we constantly heard the roar of fighter jets and air raid sirens at the airbase,” Zhang said. “Working in temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius was both a physical and mental trial.”
Pakistan currently operates China’s advanced 4.5-generation J-10CE fighter aircraft. Another Chinese engineer, Xu Da, compared the aircraft to his “own child,” saying the combat performance of the fighter jet met their expectations during the conflict.
“Our goal was to ensure the aircraft demonstrated its maximum capability on the battlefield,” Xu stated.
The revelations are likely to intensify Indian concerns over China’s growing military involvement in Pakistan. In July 2025, the Indian Army claimed that nearly 81 percent of Pakistan’s military hardware originated from China.
Indian Army Deputy Chief Lieutenant General Rahul R. Singh had earlier warned that Beijing was effectively using Pakistan as a “live laboratory” to test advanced Chinese weapons systems and surveillance technologies against India. Indian officials also alleged that China provided Pakistan with live intelligence updates regarding Indian military positions during the confrontation.
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China has sold approximately $8.2 billion worth of arms to Pakistan since 2015. Between 2020 and 2024, around 63 percent of China’s total arms exports went to Pakistan, making Islamabad Beijing’s largest defense customer.
Pakistan is also reportedly preparing to acquire 40 Chinese-made fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighter jets, further deepening defense ties between the two countries.
The India-Pakistan tensions escalated after an attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22 last year, which killed 26 people. In response, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” targeting nine alleged militant bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
