Security Review Commission submits report to Congress; Says Beijing’s systems helped counter Indian strikes
Pakistan’s J-10C. Photo: File
ISLAMABAD:
A report submitted to the US Congress by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission has highlighted Pakistan’s “military success” during the four-day conflict with India in May 2025, crediting the outcome to the deployment of advanced Chinese weaponry.
The commission, tasked with assessing national security implications of US-China trade and economic ties, delivered its findings to Congress on Tuesday. According to the document, “Pakistan’s military success over India in its four-day clash showcased Chinese weaponry,” noting that Beijing’s latest air-defence systems and fighter aircraft saw combat use for the first time.
The clash was triggered after an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which New Delhi attributed to Pakistan without presenting any evidence. Islamabad rejected the allegation and called for an independent investigation.
In response, India launched air strikes on Pakistan’s Punjab province and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in the wee hours of May 7, leading to four days of hostilities that concluded with American mediation on May 10.
The US report noted that the confrontation marked the first active combat use of China’s modern weapons systems, including the HQ-9 air-defence system, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and J-10 fighter jets operated by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
China reportedly used the conflict to test and promote its defence capabilities, and subsequently offered in June 2025 to sell Pakistan 40 J-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, KJ-500 aircraft, and ballistic missile defence systems.
Pakistan downed five Indian aircraft initially, later increased the tally to seven, while asserting no losses on its side and reporting that 26 Indian targets were hit after air strikes on three bases. US President Donald Trump, commenting on the clash, had said that eight Indian planes were “essentially” shot down.
The report also highlighted China’s growing defence cooperation with Pakistan, noting that the country supplied approximately 82% of Pakistan’s arms imports from 2019 to 2023. It cited joint exercises such as the ‘Warrior-VIII’ counter-terrorism drills in late 2024 and Pakistan’s participation in the AMAN naval drills in February 2025 as evidence of expanding military collaboration.
New Delhi perceived these exercises as direct security threats. “India’s commentators viewed the drills as losses in their relationship with China and as direct security threats to its territorial positions,” the report said.
In addition, the commission pointed to allegations of China leveraging the conflict to enhance its weapons sales, including reports that it promoted the effectiveness of its systems over French Rafales and allegedly ran disinformation campaigns using AI-generated images to boost its J-35 fighter jets’ credibility.
The report stressed that while the conflict could be described as a “proxy war,” China used the engagement to advertise the sophistication of its arms and advance its defence industry goals, especially amid ongoing border tensions with India. Pakistan also increased its defence budget by 20% in June 2025, raising planned expenditures to $9 billion despite an overall national budget decrease.
The four-day clash represents a rare instance of China’s modern weaponry being deployed in live combat, underscoring both Islamabad’s reliance on Beijing and China’s strategic interest in showcasing its latest defense technology on the international stage.
(WITH INPUTS FROM NEWS DESK)
