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Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan launches third Chinese-built Hangor-class submarine amid deepening defense ties
KARACHI: Pakistan on Friday launched its third Hangor-class submarine in China, the navy said in a statement, in the latest sign of the country's growing military ties with Beijing. The launch comes months after Pakistan's brief but intense military standoff with India, which saw the two nuclear-armed neighbors exchange air, missile, drone and artillery attacks. In recent years, Islamabad has strengthened its defence collaboration with China, inducting state-of-the-art Chinese hardware across all three services, including Z-10ME attack helicopters earlier this month and JF-17 fighter jets jointly developed with Beijing. The navy said the new vessel, equipped with modern sensors and weapons, will enhance its capabilities to safeguard national interests and contribute to a 'secure and cooperative maritime environment.' 'Their cutting-edge weaponry and advanced sensors would be instrumental in sustaining regional power equilibrium and ensuring maritime stability,' Vice Admiral Abdul Samad, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Project-2, said at the launch ceremony in Wuhan, according to a navy statement. The launch took place at Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group's Shuangliu Base and was attended by senior officials from both Pakistan and China, including representatives of China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company Ltd (CSOC). Samad commended the steady progress of the project, praised the work of Chinese shipbuilders and said the Hangor-class program would 'bring a fresh dimension' to Pakistan-China naval cooperation. The submarines are a new generation of diesel-electric attack vessels and equipped with advanced sensors and modern weapon systems to strengthen the country's underwater warfare capabilities. Pakistan signed a contract with CSOC to acquire eight Hangor-class submarines. Four are being built in China, while the remaining four will be produced in Pakistan at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited under a transfer-of-technology program. The first two submarines in the series were launched in 2024, with deliveries expected over the next several years.
France 24
04-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Chinese media sphere wages smear campaign against France's Rafale jet
Rafale bashing. From May 6–10, India launched Operation Sindoor, a series of bombings against Pakistan in retaliation for a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir. During the attack, three Rafales, the Indian air force's most modern aircraft, were shot down by Pakistani fighters, according to Pakistan. Experts are more cautious and estimate, without certainty, that at least one Rafale fighter jet, a French aircraft built by Dassault Aviation, may have been destroyed. As soon as it was revealed, the incident – the exact scale of which has yet to be confirmed – triggered a Chinese propaganda campaign against the Rafale. In fact, the Pakistani combat aircraft used against India are made from Chinese JF-17 and J-10C aircraft. For a whole media ecosystem – composed of media affiliated or not to the Chinese Communist Party, influencers and ordinary internet users – denigrating the French aircraft was an opportunity to promote Chinese aircraft at its expense. On May 7, the day after the first night of clashes between India and Pakistan, a screenshot of a supposed publication by Qnews, an English-language media outlet based in Egypt, was shared on social networks and the Chinese news portal According to the publication, the French government had requested that India "immediately" ground its Rafale fighter jets. 'This follows the downing of three Rafale jets by the Pakistani air Force last night, prompting France to urge India to cease using Rafale jets in operations against Pakistan,' reads the shared post. The alleged Qnews post was also shared outside Chinese social networks. ShanghaiPanda, an influencer with positions close to the Chinese Communist Party, shared the same screenshot on X with a message in English on May 7. However, this post is false, and the identity of the Qnews media outlet had been stolen. When contacted, Qnews stated that the shared post was 'entirely fabricated' and confirmed that it had not been published on 'any of the media's official platforms'. A search of the Qnews Facebook page and Instagram account produced no results. 'The claim being circulated about the French government and Rafale aircraft is false, and Qnews has no connection with this content,' the media outlet also said. Usurping the identity of a foreign media outlet to disseminate false information is a modus operandi reminiscent of the disinformation strategy employed by Russia in Operation Doppelganger, which involved imitating newspaper headlines and traditional media publications. Other publications have amplified a rumour that Indonesia is preparing to reconsider an order for 42 Rafales, a deal signed with France in 2022, with deliveries slated to begin in 2026. This rumour initially stemmed from an article published by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), a Hong Kong newspaper, on May 14. The article was claiming that the sale of the Rafales was to be the subject of an in-depth review by Indonesia, following the alleged destruction of the French aircraft during clashes between India and Pakistan. This assertion was picked up, albeit in an exaggerated form, by several Chinese news websites such as Devoted to military issues, the site claims that Indonesia is considering abandoning its Rafale purchase altogether. The rumour of a suspension of the Indonesian contract is also relayed by the Pravda site, which has been pinpointed as one of the cogs in a pro-Russian propaganda network, Portal Kombat, by Viginum, the French government's service against foreign digital interference. The Pravda site cites Galaxia Militar, a Spanish news site covering military news, as its source. Galaxia Militar indicates that the author of its article is a Nepalese news site, Asia Live, which also announced on its website that Indonesia had suspended its Rafale purchase. Is this rumour justified? To support their announcements, the SCMP and Asia Live recount comments supposedly attributed to Dave Laksono, a member of the First Commission of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, a government body that deals with defence issues. According to these media outlets, the MP said that Pakistan's claims that the Rafales had been shot down were 'legitimate and constructive' grounds for 'evaluation'. The FRANCE 24 Observers team contacted Dave Laksono. He said that the statements attributed to him by AsiaLive and the SCMP were 'selectively quoted' and 'do not accurately reflect' the full context of his remarks: At no point did I 'concede' that the Rafale's performance warranted a formal reassessment of the procurement. What I stated was that unverified claims arising from conflict zones – such as those recently reported in the India-Pakistan context – should not be used as the sole basis for evaluating the effectiveness of any weapons system. I further emphasised that even the most advanced aircraft, including those operated by NATO allies, have experienced losses in complex combat environments. This is a reality of modern warfare, not a reflection of systemic failure. The MP added: The Government of Indonesia has not paused or reassessed the Rafale deal. The agreement remains in force, and preparations for delivering the first batch of aircraft in 2026 are proceeding as scheduled. Far from wishing to suspend its Rafale purchases, as Asia Live and the Chinese media maintain, Indonesia signed a letter of intent to purchase additional aircraft at the end of May. Finally, the Asia Live article is all the more suspicious for its confusion: it claims that the Indonesian defence minister – a certain Prabowo Subianto, according to the media – ordered a classified reassessment of the Rafale purchase. However, Prabowo Subianto is not the defence minister, he is the president of Indonesia. On May 7, a number of influencer accounts with pro-Beijing views posted a spectacular video of a plane being shot down on X. According to messages written in Arabic, Chinese and English, it showed an Indian Rafale shot down during clashes with Pakistan. However, this video is not real. First, the plane shot down is not a Rafale but a MiG-29 fighter jet, as you can see from its silhouette. Second, the footage is actually taken from the video game ArmA 3. You can find it on YouTube by searching for 'MiG-29' and "ArmA 3". The video was published on November 10, 2024, and actually shows an Iranian army MiG-29. Finally, it should be noted that this video was also posted on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, by Beijing Daily, the official newspaper of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. This suggests that more official media may also have shared erroneous content about the Rafale. A sketch denigrating the Rafale liked more than 850,000 times in two hours In addition to disinformation content, the 'Rafale Bashing' is going viral on social networks due to Douyin broadcasting a sketch by Chinese comedian 'Brother Hao' on May 8. The sketch, entitled 'The plane I just bought was shot down', is a parody of a Bollywood song and mocks the supposed destruction of the Indian Rafales. The comedian appears in 'Black Face' make-up, which darkens his skin to make him look like an Indian. According to the Chinese news website Sohu, the song was liked more than 850,000 times in two hours and viewed over 80 million times within 48 hours. Brother Hao, whose real name is Zhou Guanhao, is an influencer believed to have links to China's privately-owned Joy Media Group, according to open-source analyst Jacque Rainey. This suggests that the nationalist anti-Rafale discourse in China has also been carried – within limits no doubt set by the State – by private sector media players. This is not Brother Hao's first sketch with anti-Indian overtones. In 2023, the comedian had already been criticised by the Indian embassy in China for 'racial discrimination', reports the Chinese website Sohu,in connection with another musical track. 'The plane I just bought was shot down' began circulating outside China when it was relayed by pro-regime influencers publishing in English. These included Zhao Da Shuai, an X account claiming to be part of the People's Armed Police Propaganda Bureau, and Carl Zha, a Bali-based influencer with positions close to the Chinese Communist Party. The title was also shared by Pakistani accounts such as Defence Pakistan, which Chinese internet users believe, without providing proof, to be linked to the Pakistani Ministry of Defence. Finally, the sketch was also quite widely distributed on YouTube. Our team found that it was relayed by 155 channels on the platform. While the majority of these channels appear to be held by accounts no doubt seeking to capitalise on the virality of the sketch, at least some of them (17) show signs of inauthentic behaviour. These profiles appear to have been created specifically for the broadcast of the sketch, or to have broadcast it even though they had been inactive for months. Other accounts display a pro-Chinese regime stance, such as a channel advocating the unification of Taiwan with mainland China.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Myanmar's China challenge: Air Force looses Chinese origin fighter aircraft due to tech failure
Myanmar Air Force has yet again lost a Chinese origin fighter jet in a crash due to technical failure raising serious concerns over quality of defence equipment produced by Beijing. A F-7 fighter jet of Myanmar Air Force or MAF (F7 is the predecessor of JF17) crashed in Pale Township of Sagaing Region on June 10 wherein one pilot was killed in the crash. MAF attributed crash attributed to mechanical failure, but People's Libration Army (PLA), a Resistance Group, has claimed that they shot down fighter jet by using Machine Gun during a battle. However, PLA version is under question mark. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold Container Homes in Davao Oriental - Prices You Won't Believe! Shipping Container Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo Experts said the June 10 incident showed vulnerability of Chinese weapon systems being sold to developing countries including Myanmar and Pakistan. Earlier frustrated with quality of Chinese origin equipment, the Myanmar Air Force last year acquired six Sukhoi Su-30 SME fighter jets from Russia. The Chinese origin JF-17 Thunder fighters with MAF have been facing major technical trouble. Live Events The Myanmar Air Force acquired the Russian warplanes under a $400 million contract signed in 2018 and the jets were commissioned at the Meiktila Air Base in Mandalay on December 15, 2024. The Su-30SME fighters can be be a shot in the arm for the Myanmar Air Force to turn the tide against the rebel groups which have captured territories along the border with India among other areas in the country.
India.com
10-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
India Rejects Pakistans Misinformation: S400, Brahmos Missile Base Untouched, Says Colonel Qureshi
India-Pakistan Ceasefire: India-Pakistan Ceasefire: Following days of heightened tensions, India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to halt all military actions, including firing on land, air, and sea, effective from 5 PM. Colonel Sophia Qureshi refuted Pakistan's claims, calling them a "misinformation campaign." Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Indian DGMO spoke to each other, after which the agreement was reached. This comes after United States President Donald Trump also said on Saturday that the two nations have agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire. Later, Commodore Raghu R Nair, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Colonel Qureshi addressed a Ministry of Defence (MoD) briefing. The Indian Armed Forces debunked the claims made by Pakistan as tensions between the two nations had escalated. Also Read: India-Pakistan Have Agreed To Full And Immediate Ceasefire After Long Talks: Trump Here are the claims that Pakistan had made and India debunked: 1- S400, Brahmos Missile Not Damaged: Addressing the briefing, Colonel Qureshi said that Pakistan had claimed that it damaged India's S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17, which is completely wrong. 2- Airfields Not Damaged: Pakistan ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia, and Bhuj were damaged, and its misinformation is also completely wrong. 3- Chandigarh and Vyas Ammunition Depot Not Damaged: According to Pakistan's 'misinformation campaign', India's ammunition depot in Chandigarh and Vyas was damaged, which is completely wrong. 4- Mosques Not Damaged: Pakistan made false allegations that the Indian Army damaged mosques. Colonel Qureshi added, "I want to make it very clear that India is a secular nation and our army is a very beautiful reflection of the constitutional value of India." #WATCH | Delhi: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi says, "Pakistan claimed that it damaged our S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17, which is completely wrong. Secondly, it also ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia and Bhuj were… — ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025 Also Read: Pakistan Initiated Call With India, Both Sides Have Agreed On Ceasefire, Misri Confirms Earlier, in a press briefing, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time. Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." India-Pakistan Conflict On April 22, in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, terrorists opened fire, killing 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen. After which 'Operation Sindoor' was launched by the Indian Armed Forces, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK); altogether, nine sites were targeted. In a statement of the Ministry of Defence, it was clarified, 'Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.' As per a post of the Defence Ministry on X, drones were sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.
Mint
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
No religious sites were targeted by Indian Armed Forces: India debunks Pakistan's misinformation
With India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday confirmed about the de-escalation between India and Pakistan days after tensions, Commodore Raghu R Nair in a special briefing by Defence Ministry on Operation Sindoor said that Army rejects claim of damaging mosques as India is a secular nation. Commodore Raghu R Nair made it clear that India is fully prepared and vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland. He added every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength and every future escalation will invite a decisive response. Catch all the India-Pakistan de-escalation related LIVE reports HERE. 'While we will be adhering to the understanding that is the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, we remain fully prepared and vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland. Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength. Every future escalation will invite a decisive response. We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation' India quashes Pakistan's claims of attacking religious sites: Briefing the media just after the de-escalation announcement, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh quashed Pakistan's claims that Indian Armed Forces have targeted mosques. Also Read | India inflicted heavy damage on Pakistan Army, says Colonel Sofiya Qureshi She said, 'Pakistan has been spreading fabricated allegations that Indian Armed Forces have targeted mosques. Let us make this very clear that India is secular nation, and the Indian Armed Forces are a reflection of our constitutional values. We hold every place of worship of all faiths in the highest regard. Our operations have been aimed exclusively at terrorists camps and facilities being used for anti-India activities. No religious sites have been targeted by Indian Armed Forces.' Apart from this, she also added that Pakistani air bases in Skardu, Jacobabad and Bholari suffered extensive damage. She said, 'There has been an extensive damage to the crucial Pakistani air bases- Skardu, Jacobabad and Bholari. In addition, a loss of AD weapon system and radar made the defence of Pakistani airspace untenable...' No S400 and Brahmos missile base damaged: Among others, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi also debunked Pakistan's claims of damaging S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17. Calling it fake, she said, 'Pakistan claimed that it damaged our S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17, which is completely wrong. Secondly, it also ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia and Bhuj were damaged, and its misinformation is also completely wrong. Thirdly, according to Pakistan's misinformation campaign, our ammunition depot in Chandigarh and Vyas was damaged, which is also completely wrong. Pakistan made false allegations that Indian Army damaged mosques. I want to make it very clear that India is a secular nation and our army is a very beautiful reflection of the constitutional value of India.' Earlier Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, while briefing the press, said that India and Pakistan to stop firing and military action from 5 pm IST on land and in the air and sea. He added that the Indian DGMO and Pakistan's DGMO to talk again on 12 May at 12 pm.
