China Admits Helping Pakistan During Operation Sindoor With On-Site Tech Assistance

Last Updated:May 08, 2026, 19:52 IST

Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), revealed that he was providing technical support to Pakistan during the conflict.

For the first time, China has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during its war with India, after the Indian military launched Operation Sindoor to eliminate terrorist camps in the neighbouring country.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply after Lashkar-linked terrorists gunned down 26 terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror-related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Indian Army said Pakistan used China-based PL-15 missiles and Turkish-origin YIHA and Songar drones to target Indian military bases, which were successfully shot down by the Indian defence systems. Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance), Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, said China was sharing “live updates" about India’s important installations with Pakistan.

China Admits Helping Pakistan

In an interview aired by Chinese media on Thursday, Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, described their direct involvement in supporting Pakistani operations, according to a report by South China Morning Post.

Heng was one of those who provided technical support to Pakistan during the conflict. “At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius.. It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically," he was quoted as saying.

Pakistan operates Chinese-made J-10CE jets. Zhang said his team wanted to do “an even better job with on‑site support" and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential". His remarks were the first official confirmation of Chinese involvement in Pakistan’s operations against India.

Another employee from the same institute, Xu Da, compared the J-10 fighter jet to a “child."

“We nurtured it, cared for it, and finally handed it over to the user. And now, it was facing a major test. As for the outstanding results the J-10CE achieved, we weren’t very surprised, and it didn’t feel sudden at all," he said.

The J-10CE, an export variant of the J-10C 4.5-generation fighter, is considered the most advanced model in the J-10 series. Pakistan is the only known operator of J-10Cs outside China, ordering 36 jets in 2020.

India On Chinese Involvement

In July 2025, Lt Gen Rahul Singh said Pakistan was playing the role of a “live lab" for the Chinese military. “We had one border and two adversaries, actually three. Pakistan was in the front. China was providing all possible support. 81% of the military hardware with Pakistan is Chinese… China is able to test its weapons against other weapons, so it’s like a live lab available to them," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI last year.

A recent report by the US Defence Department showed that China backed Pakistan’s operation through information warfare, cyber activity, intelligence support, and diplomatic manoeuvring. Chinese satellite coverage and electronic surveillance inputs are believed to have enhanced Pakistan’s real-time situational awareness, improving targeting and operational coordination without direct PLA involvement.

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