India on Tuesday reacted sharply to reports that China had provided technical support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, saying the admission only confirm what New Delhi had already suspected during the conflict that followed the Pahalgam terror attack in May 2025.
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Responding to questions during a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the latest reports validated earlier assessments about external support to Pakistan during the 2025 military conflict.
“We have seen these 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,” Jaiswal said at the press briefing.
“It is for nations who consider themselves responsible to reflect whether supporting attempts to protect terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing,” he said.
China’s admission sparks fresh attention
The remarks came days after Chinese state-linked media carried interviews suggesting that Chinese personnel had provided on-ground technical assistance to Pakistan during the brief military confrontation with India.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer linked to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a major developer of military aircraft and drone systems. Reports said Zhang was part of a technical support team working with Pakistani forces during the four-day conflict.
The development is significant because Beijing had earlier avoided directly acknowledging any operational involvement during the confrontation.
Pakistan’s Air Force uses Chinese-made J-10CE fighter jets, manufactured by an AVIC subsidiary. The reports suggested that Chinese engineers were helping maintain and support these systems during the conflict period.
Operation Sindoor followed Pahalgam terror attack
India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025 after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. The operation targeted terror infrastructure located across the Line of Control and inside Pakistan-linked territories.
Indian officials had earlier hinted that Pakistan may have received external technical or intelligence support during the confrontation, though no direct public confirmation from China had emerged at the time.
The latest comments from Beijing-linked media have now added a new dimension to the diplomatic and military debate surrounding the operation.
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While China has not issued any fresh official government statement on the matter, India’s response indicates that New Delhi sees the reports as validation of its earlier concerns about the nature of support extended to Pakistan during the conflict.
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