The Indian Armed Forces have showcased intercepted and destroyed foreign weapons used by Pakistan, including the Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missile and the Turkish Bayraktar YIHA III unmanned aerial vehicle.
India on Monday publicly named China (the Chinese Communist Party) for providing weapons to Pakistan, which were used to target the Indian Armed Forces.
Air Force Combat Commander, Air Vice Marshal Bharti, displayed photos of the wreckage of the PL-15 long-range missile that fell into Indian territory during a press conference.
Bharti stated that India successfully intercepted the PL-15 missile and the Turkish Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicle.
He mentioned that Pakistan fired a Chinese-made PL-15 missile towards India in response to the “Sindur Operation,” but the missile did not hit its target.
“The screen shows some achievements in targeting enemy vector systems,” Bharti displayed images of some destroyed Pakistani weapons during the press conference.
“The screen shows what appears to be a Chinese-made PL-15 missile used by the enemy. This missile didn’t hit the target, and now you can see the existing debris,” he said.
Bharti did not disclose specific details of how the Chinese PL-15 missile failed to hit its target. However, he mentioned that the Indian Armed Forces successfully intercepted the Chinese PL-15 missile, and its wreckage was subsequently found.
The “Sindur Operation” was launched on May 7, where India attacked nine terrorist locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir in April, which resulted in 26 deaths.
This marks the first time in the India-Pakistan conflict that India has openly accused China (the Chinese Communist Party). Over the years, India has closely monitored the growing military relationship between China and Pakistan. Pakistan has acknowledged using the PL-15 missile in recent air combat with India.
The PL-15 is developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (AVIC) and is a long-range radar-guided missile. According to public information, the domestic version of the PL-15 missile has a range of 200 kilometers, while the export version PL-15E has a range of approximately 145 kilometers. The missile uses a dual-pulse solid rocket motor, travels at speeds exceeding Mach 5, is guided by an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar seeker, and is equipped with mid-course data link updates.
The Indian media outlet “Indian Express” reported on Tuesday that the statement issued by the Indian military regarding the PL-15 missile holds significant meaning as India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire agreement on May 10, halting all military actions.
On the same day, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The report mentioned that India singling out Beijing sends a signal to Chinese leadership regarding its role in the India-Pakistan hostilities, as China had previously stated it would play a constructive role in facilitating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
The report noted that due to China’s opposition, the United Nations Security Council did not directly condemn the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organization responsible for the Pahalgam attack. The group is an affiliate of the Pakistani militant group Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, claiming responsibility for the attack.
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate to the highest level in decades, the use of China’s latest weapons in the conflict has raised concerns about power shifts in the South Asian region and heightened Beijing’s growing influence in the area. China has faced border conflicts or friction with nearly all neighboring countries and regions.