India's "Reputation, Standing" Reply To China's "On-Site" Support To Pak

India on Tuesday said that reports of China supporting Pakistan during Operation Sindoor "corroborate what was known earlier" and urged Beijing to introspect.

"We have seen reports that corroborate what was known earlier, Operation Sindoor was a precise, targeted, and calibrated response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, aimed at destroying state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan and at its behest," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said.

In retaliation for the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that killed 26, New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, dismantling terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK

"It is for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect on whether supporting or protecting terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing," the spokesperson added.

This firm stance from New Delhi comes as the nation recently marked the first anniversary of the operation on May 7. The operation was far more than mere retaliation; it was a calibrated, multi-domain surgical strike that lasted exactly 88 hours and decisively changed the rules of engagement in South Asia.

Last week, China, for the first time, confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the intense four-day military conflict with India, according to Chinese official media reports.

China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China's advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.

Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.

Pakistan's air force operates Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary. Zhang Heng said what drove his team was the "desire to do an even better job with on-site support" and to ensure their equipment could "truly perform at its full combat potential".

"That wasn't just a recognition of the J-10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out," Zhang Heng added.

In July 2025, the Indian Army said that an overwhelming 81 per cent of Pakistan's military hardware is of Chinese origin, with China using the country like a "live lab" to test its military tech. 

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China has sold arms worth $8.2 billion to Pakistan since 2015. Between 2020 and 2024, China ranked as the world's fourth-largest arms exporter. Nearly two-thirds or 63 per cent of these exports went to Pakistan, making Islamabad China's biggest weapons client.