China has, for the first time, acknowledged that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan after India launched 'Operation Sindoor' in May 2025, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.
The report said a Chinese-made fighter jet operated by Pakistan shot down at least one of India's French-made Rafale fighter aircraft during the four-day conflict, marking the first reported combat loss of a Rafale jet.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, as a precise, multi-domain military offensive against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This action was a direct retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 civilian lives.
On Thursday, China's state broadcaster China Central Television aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, one of the key developers of China's advanced fighter aircraft and drone systems.
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Zhang revealed that he was part of the technical team deployed to support Pakistan during the conflict. Pakistan's air force operates Chinese-made J-10CE fighter jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary. One of those aircraft is reported to have downed at least one Rafale fighter during the conflict with India.
“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,” Zhang told CCTV.
He added that the team was driven by the “desire to do an even better job with on-site support” and to ensure the aircraft could “truly perform at its full combat potential.”
“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,” he said.
Another Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute engineer, Xu Da, compared the fighter aircraft 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,” Xu said.
“As for the outstanding results the J-10CE achieved, we weren't very surprised, and it didn't feel sudden at all. In fact, it felt inevitable. The aircraft just needed the right opportunity. And when that moment came, it delivered exactly as we knew it would,” he added.
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The remarks are being seen as the first public confirmation that Chinese personnel directly assisted Pakistan during last year's conflict with India.
The J-10CE is the export version of China's J-10C 4.5-generation fighter aircraft and is equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system. It is also compatible with advanced Chinese weapon systems, including PL-15 air-to-air missiles.
Pakistan remains the only known foreign operator of the J-10C series. Islamabad ordered 36 J-10CE fighter jets and 250 PL-15 missiles from China in 2020. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, nearly 80% of Pakistan's arms imports between 2021 and 2025 came from China. Pakistan's air force also operates the JF-17 fighter aircraft, jointly developed by China and Pakistan, as one of its primary combat platforms.
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