Pakistan claims Chinese weapons did 'exceptionally well' against India despite crushing losses in Op Sindoor

DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry - File Photo

Pakistan has once again tried to paint a picture of victory in the May conflict with India, claiming its China-made weapons performed "exceptionally well." The statement came from Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of ISPR, in an interview to Bloomberg, conducted last week in Islamabad.

"We are open to all sorts of technology," Chaudhry told Bloomberg. "Of course lately, recent Chinese platforms, they've demonstrated exceptionally well," he said, referring to Pakistan’s performance during the four-day conflict in May.

The claims fly in the face of reality. Evidence shows that Pakistan’s ace PL-15 missiles were shredded in combat, while India’s indigenous weapons, including BrahMos supersonic missiles and the Akashteer air defence system, delivered devastating precision strikes. Indian forces turned several Pakistani airstrips into rubble, punching holes through infrastructure and targeting critical defence installations.

ALSO READ: Operation Sindoor wrecked Pakistani airbases, destroyed F-16s and AWACS; US stepped in for urgent repairs

Chaudhry also asserted that Pakistan shot down seven Indian fighter jets while losing none, a narrative widely dismissed by Indian officials. IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, speaking last week, confirmed that India destroyed 12-13 Pakistani fighter jets, including US-made F-16s and Chinese JF-17s, while taking out one surveillance aircraft. He called Pakistan’s claims "manohar kahaniyan" (fascinating tales), exposing the military’s attempt to spread misinformation.

The conflict marked Pakistan’s first major use of modern Chinese weapons, including PL-15 and HQ-9P missiles, as well as JF-17 and J-10 fighter jets. Yet, these systems failed spectacularly against India’s aerial defence, highlighting Islamabad’s overreliance on China. This dependence is part of a broader pattern, with China investing billions into Pakistan under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In September, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari visited Chengdu, the manufacturing hub for J-10 fighter jets, underscoring the country’s reliance on Chinese military technology.

Pakistan’s defence narrative, personified by Lieutenant General Chaudhry -- son of declared terrorist Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood -- appears designed to deflect from the stark truth: India’s Operation Sindoor inflicted strategic damage across multiple Pakistani Air Force bases, CNN-News18 has reported.

Indian strikes destroyed several F-16s, a Swedish-made AWACS, C-130 transport aircraft, and critical radar and command infrastructure. At PAF Bholari Airbase alone, an F-16 parked in a hangar was obliterated, killing five personnel, including a Squadron Leader and Chief Technician. US engineers had to be flown in urgently to repair the AWACS Erieye, while Pakistan approved $400–$470 million in secret emergency funds for repairs, highlighting Islamabad’s dependence on foreign assistance.

Despite Pakistani claims of military prowess, the evidence is clear: Indian weapons proved far more effective, Chinese systems faltered, and Pakistan’s defence establishment continues to rely heavily on external support while attempting to mislead the world with propaganda.