On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, China, for the first time, has publicly admitted to having provided technical assistance to Pakistan during its four-day skirmish with India last year.
Speaking to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Zhang Heng, an engineer at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) – the state-owned aerospace and defence group behind many of Beijing’s advanced fighter aircraft and drone programmes — said he had been deployed to provide “on-site technical support” to the Pakistani Air Force during the clashes in May 2025.
During the interview, he also referred to Pakistan’s use of the Chinese-built Chengdu J-10CE fighter jet during the fighting, claiming to have downed at least one Dassault Rafale fighter jet — something which remains to be confirmed, and is considered highly unlikely.
The J-10CE is the export version of China’s J-10C fighter and is one of Pakistan’s most advanced aircraft alongside the JF-17, and F-16.
The jet is equipped with an AESA radar system and can carry a range of Chinese-made precision weapons, including beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles.
Pakistan remains the only country outside China to operate the J-10C series, making the conflict one of the first real combat tests for the aircraft and its associated weapons systems.
Zhang said “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 [122 degrees Fahrenheit]. It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically.”
What drove his team was the “desire to do an even better job with on site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV.
“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J 10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out.”
The disclosure is significant because Beijing has so far avoided publicly confirming any direct operational or technical involvement during Operation Sindoor, despite widespread speculation that China had been assisting Islamabad via satellite intelligence, logistics, and systems support.
China and Pakistan maintain one of the closest defence partnerships in Asia, with Beijing serving as Islamabad’s largest military supplier.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Chinese arms imports amounted to over 80% of Pakistan’s arms imports between 2021-2025.
Over the past decade, Pakistan has increasingly shifted towards Chinese defence platforms, including fighter aircraft, missile systems, drones, frigates and submarines, in a dramatic shift from its earlier defence procurement from the US.
Apart from its air force, Pakistan is also integrating Chinese defence systems into its navy, as is confirmed to having received additional Hangor-class submarines as part of naval modernisation.
Furthermore, there have also been growing reports that Pakistan could become the first foreign operator of China’s new Shenyang J-35A stealth fighter.
