14-05-2025
For China, the India-Pakistan conflict was an advertisement for its military systems
While Pakistan may have been the one to fight, according to these accounts, China supplied the weapons, trained the forces, and dictated the playbook. This was not just about Chinese-made equipment—it was about Chinese strategy, its systems, and its growing ability to shape outcomes from behind the curtain.
'The 'all-Chinese class' defeated the Indian Air Force in a big way,' read one Baidu post. Another boasted : 'Chinese-made fighters defeat India's ace with zero damage.' In this version of events, the conflict wasn't a regional skirmish—it was a showcase of China's military supremacy.
To much of the world, the latest clash was India versus Pakistan. But on Chinese social media, the real battle was between India and China—Pakistan was merely a proxy. While global headlines focused on the India-Pakistan ceasefire, Chinese digital spaces told a different story.
As Yao Yuanmei, an associate professor at East China Normal University, asked: 'Why couldn't India's 'world-made' advanced weapons defeat Pakistan's single 'Chinese-made' weapon?' A number of posts have declared that the ceasefire took place because China is behind Pakistan.
The foundation of Pakistan's strength
Across Chinese platforms, there is near-unanimous agreement: Pakistan's military edge stems from Chinese systems. From the J-10CE and JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to the ZDK-03 early warning aircraft and Hongqi air defences, Chinese technology is cast as the reason Pakistan held its own—especially in the air.
According to Chinese accounts, Pakistan's J-10C fighters—supported by Chinese AWACS—downed six Indian aircraft without losing a single jet. Analysts highlighted the 'superior' J-10C's gallium nitride radar and Thunderbolt-15 missiles as key advantages, arguing that they outclassed India's Rafales in both detection and strike capabilities.
Ground warfare was not left out. A Baidu post claimed that Pakistan's 500 Chinese-made VT-4 tanks outperformed much of India's armour. Chinese-designed artillery systems like the SH-15 howitzer and AR3 rocket launchers, meanwhile, are credited with boosting Pakistan's firepower and range. This was not just about hardware. Chinese observers framed the outcome as validation of their systems-based model of warfare. Pakistan's coordinated operations, enabled by seamless integration, stood in stark contrast to India's patchwork of multinational platforms and doctrines.
Zhang Zhonglin, a civil aviation analyst, noted that while Pakistan has rapidly modernised its air force, it is China's systems and training that made the difference. He pointed to Pakistan's adoption of 'system-defined operations'—China's signature model that connects fighters, radar, missiles, and command networks into a single, cohesive framework.
From a Chinese viewpoint, India's perceived failure to target Pakistan's air defences early on proved decisive. Instead of hitting airfields and early warning systems, India relied on ineffective missile strikes, leaving Pakistan's capabilities intact. India's reluctance to escalate and lack of readiness for a full-scale war exposed its vulnerabilities. Despite a numerical advantage, the battle became one of tactics, not might. With China's PL-15 missiles, Pakistan's air force had the upper hand.
Also read: How China is seeing Operation Sindoor
China's arms dominance and strategic influence
For Chinese commentators, this was not a show of solidarity with Pakistan. It was a real-time advertisement for Chinese military systems. 'This isn't just about one weapon's success,' read one Weibo post, 'it is about China's entire air combat system—from radar and AWACS to fighters and missiles. India has unwittingly become a global promoter of Chinese defence tech.'
Another read: 'The Indo-Pak conflict was a duel between Chinese and Western arms. The J-10 just stunned the world.'
As traditional suppliers like Russia lose ground, China is positioning itself as a cheaper, combat-tested alternative. Its platforms now anchor Pakistan's arsenal. These exports often come tied to larger Belt and Road Initiatives, extending China's strategic reach across Southeast Asia and Africa.
Aerospace commentator Bai Yujing described the Chinese J-10C as more than a match for the American F-16. While comparable in avionics, J-10C's edge lies in integration—its role within a broader combat ecosystem. The India-Pakistan conflict, he argued, proved that this systems-based approach could challenge Western dominance in aerial warfare.
Chinese analysis also saw the conflict as evidence of shifting geopolitical alignments. US Vice President JD Vance's dismissal of the clash as 'none of our business' was interpreted as weakening Western support for India. In contrast, China's hands-on backing for Pakistan signalled a more committed, dependable alliance. The downing of a French Rafale, as claimed by Pakistan, was even framed as a warning to other countries considering Western arms deals.
One Weibo user offered a pointed warning to the US: 'Pakistan, with old Chinese gear, defeated India's advanced Western-supported fleet. The issue isn't just about Pakistan—it is about China's rising air power, from the J-20 to next-gen fighters. Global air warfare is changing.'
Some voices connected the conflict directly to Taiwan. 'China's military-industrial capability is at its peak,' wrote one commentator. 'We now have a layered defence model against separatist forces like 'Taiwan independence.''
For China, Pakistan is not a so-called 'all-weather friend' but a proxy that enables a two-front containment of India. This conflict is presented as clear proof of China's willingness to intervene militarily—not just rhetorically—on Pakistan's behalf. Mao Ke, a PhD candidate at Tsinghua University, and Chen Zhuo of the South Asia Research Group, wrote that Chinese troops stationed near Kashmir since 2020 act as a stabilising force. 'Their presence is the last guarantee of peace in South Asia,' they argued, 'as China's position must be considered before escalating.'
For Beijing, the outcome of the recent India-Pakistan standoff is both validation of its military model and a stepping stone toward dominance in the global arms market and security architecture.
In sum, the Chinese narrative frames this conflict as a clash of defence ecosystems—Pakistan the vehicle, India the proving ground, and the West the ultimate target. In this conflict, Pakistan may have fired the shots—but China wrote the script.
Sana Hashmi, PhD, is a fellow at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation. She tweets @sanahashmi1. Views are personal.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
