Military drill: China sends fighter jets, troops to Pakistan air base near India border

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China on December 7 announced that it has sent fighter jets and troops to a Pakistani air base near its border with India along Gujarat. The warplanes that have been dispatched will be taking part in the upcoming bilateral military exercise aimed at improving Pakistan and China’s 'actual combat training', reported Chinamil.com.

The PLA said in a statement that “the Chinese air force’s troops set off on December 7 for the Pakistani Air Force’s air base in Bholari at Thatta District in Sindh, northeast of Pakistan’s Karachi to participate in the China-Pakistan Joint Air Force Exercise Shaheen (Eagle) – IX”.

It added that the drill would strengthen China-Pakistan military-to-military relationships and “improve the actual-combat training level of the two sides”.

Though the Chinese military did not reveal details of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) deployment at the latest edition of Shaheen-IX, it said that the joint air force exercise will end in late December.

According to Twitter user @detresfa, who is a satellite imagery expert, PLAAF’s Y20 Heavy lift airplane was seen descending into Pakistan near the Bholari Airbase. The China-Pakistan drill will be held against the backdrop of the ongoing border tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. The previous Shaheen drill was held in China’s Xinjiang in September 2019.