Operation Sindoor, a decisive military campaign by India, not only dealt a significant blow to Pakistan’s armed forces but also uncovered major weaknesses in the Chinese-made weapons heavily relied upon by Pakistan. Approximately 82% of Pakistan’s defense imports come from China, making this conflict a crucial test of Chinese military technology when faced with Indian and Western systems combined.
Throughout the operation, Indian forces efficiently targeted key Pakistani military and terrorist installations, overcoming Chinese air defense systems such as the HQ-9, which repeatedly failed to intercept Indian missile attacks, including strikes by the BrahMos missile. Other Chinese hardware, including PL-15 air-to-air missiles, J-10C fighter jets, and naval frigates, showed significant underperformance or malfunctions, leaving Pakistani defenses vulnerable and unable to effectively counter India’s offensive.
These failures have gone beyond battlefield setbacks, severely damaging China’s image as a dependable global arms supplier. Analysts have noted that these operational shortcomings reinforce long standing doubts about Chinese military equipment quality and reliability, accelerating a decline in China’s arms exports, which were already suffering due to quality concerns. This credibility gap opens doors for alternative arms manufacturers, including India, to highlight their combat-proven reliability.
Key system failures observed include the HQ-9 air defense system’s inability to detect and respond to advanced Indian strikes. Indian forces effectively jammed and neutralized these systems near key strategic locations. Reports from Chinese citizens on social media blamed inadequate training and operational inefficiencies on Pakistan’s side, though the failures point to deeper technical issues.
The PL-15 missile, meant to rival Western missiles like the AIM-120D, failed to hit targets and sometimes malfunctioned mid-flight. Indian officials showcased fragments of these missiles recovered intact, contradicting Chinese media claims of their success. The CM-400AKG air-to-surface missile was detected early and effectively jammed, failing to breach Indian defense systems.
Pakistani jets like the J-10C and JF-17, armed with PL-15 missiles, failed to deter Indian air raids. Propaganda claims of shooting down Indian jets remain unverified, with no evidence of wreckage presented.
Indian forces also destroyed Chinese-supplied radar systems and intercepted Chinese-origin drones, raising serious concerns about their stealth and effectiveness in contested airspace.
Overall, Operation Sindoor has exposed deep-rooted reliability issues in Chinese military exports, marked by defective components, poor quality control, and inadequate after-sales support, a trend seen previously in other countries receiving Chinese military gear.
