India on Tuesday said reports of China providing technical support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor confirmed what was already known and urged Beijing to reflect on the consequences of backing terror-linked infrastructure.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Operation Sindoor was a “precise, targeted and calibrated response” to the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
Launched in retaliation, the operation targeted and dismantled terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Jaiswal said responsible nations should reflect on whether supporting or protecting terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing.
India’s response came days after China publicly acknowledged for the first time that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day military conflict with India in May 2025.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, who said his team worked to ensure Pakistan’s Chinese-made military equipment performed at full combat capability.
Pakistan’s air force operates Chinese-made Chengdu J-10CE fighter jets produced by an AVIC subsidiary.
Zhang said the experience reflected close cooperation between the two sides.
India recently marked the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor on May 7. The 88-hour operation was described by New Delhi as a calibrated multi-domain strike that reshaped regional military engagement.
In July 2025, the Indian Army said 81 per cent of Pakistan’s military hardware was of Chinese origin and accused China of using Pakistan as a testing ground for military technology.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China has sold $8.2 billion worth of arms to Pakistan since 2015. Between 2020 and 2024, 63 per cent of China’s total arms exports went to Pakistan, making Islamabad Beijing’s largest weapons client.