In May, conflicts erupted between India and Pakistan, but thanks to U.S. mediation, the two countries have now reached a ceasefire agreement. An Indian defense department think tank revealed that China provided Pakistan with air defense and satellite support during the India-Pakistan conflict, indicating a more direct involvement of China in the conflict. Last week, India publicly accused China of supplying weapons to Pakistan, including the PL-15 air-to-air missile.
According to a report by Bloomberg on May 18th, Ashok Kumar, the Director of the United Joint Warfare Studies center in New Delhi, stated in an interview that China helped Pakistan reconfigure its radar and air defense systems to more effectively detect Indian military and weapon deployments. He also mentioned that during the 15-day period between the hostile actions leading to the deaths of 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, China also assisted Pakistan in adjusting its satellite coverage over India.
Kumar stated, “China (China) helped them reposition air defense radars so that they could be aware of any actions we take on our air routes.”
On April 22, an attack in the Pahalgam region of Indian-controlled Kashmir resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists. India claimed to have “clear evidence” showing that terrorists inside Pakistan were responsible for the attack. Pakistan, however, denied this accusation.
On May 12, India publicly accused China for the first time of providing weapons to Pakistan, which were used to target Indian armed forces. Air Marshal A K Bharti, the Chief of Air Staff Operations of the Indian Air Force, displayed photos of the debris of the PL-15 long-range missile that fell into Indian territory. Bharti stated that the Indian air defense successfully intercepted the PL-15 missile and Turkish Bayraktar drones.
Pakistan also claimed to have used weapons provided by China. If Kumar’s assessment is correct, it indicates that China’s level of involvement far exceeds expectations, even providing logistical and intelligence support to Pakistan.
The United Joint Warfare Studies center claims to be an independent think tank focused on the integration and transformation of the Indian armed forces. Its Advisory Board members include Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, the Chief Military Commanders of India, and the heads of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Defense did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for comments. The Indian government and its departments also did not respond to requests for comments. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Information did not respond to Bloomberg’s emails on Sunday.
The recent India-Pakistan conflicts in the past few days have been the most serious in nearly thirty years, with both sides launching missiles and drones at each other’s military installations, resulting in nearly 70 deaths. The escalating situation has raised concerns about the possibility of a full-scale war between these two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Kumar stated that China is using this conflict as a testing ground for its weapons. He cited Indian military assessments claiming that China’s defense systems perform below average and in some cases suffer “catastrophic defeats.” However, he did not provide specific details.
“Nearly all of India’s calculations now take into account the possibility of a two-front war,” Kumar said, “What is in China today could be seen in Pakistan tomorrow.”