MEA corroborates Chinese on-site support to Pakistan in Sindoor clash
MEA corroborates Chinese on-site support to Pakistan in Sindoor clash
MEA confirms Chinese on-site technical aid to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, aligning with earlier reports and flagging reputational risks for nations backing terror infrastructure.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said reports that Chinese engineers provided on-site technical support to the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor corroborate what was known earlier. The operation, described as a precise, targeted, and calibrated response to terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, began on May 7, 2025 and continued until May 10, 2025, when a ceasefire was announced. It coincides with the first anniversary of Sindoor, a period India has framed as a demonstration of its resolve against state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan and at its behest.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stressed that these developments should prompt nations to reflect on whether supporting or protecting terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing. The remarks underscore the international attention such disclosures attract as major powers align themselves in the volatile regional landscape.
The revelations come after CCTV aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer with AVIC’s Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute. He described on-site support at the base, where fighter jets—operated by the Pakistan Air Force and produced by an AVIC subsidiary—were active. Heng recounted the harsh conditions: loud jet takeoffs, persistent air-raid sirens, and temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius, painting a vivid picture of the logistical challenges faced by engineers during the period.
Zhang Heng’s comments mark the first explicit confirmation of Chinese personnel playing a role in the prior year’s India-Pakistan clash. The timing of the interview, ahead of the Sindoor anniversary, has amplified calls for accountability and more transparent disclosures about external support in regional security dynamics.
