Chinese weapons earn global media praise after Pakistan-India military combat

International media outlets have heaped praise on Chinese-manufactured weapons, particularly fighter aircraft after Pakistan’s Air Force delivered a massive blow to India’s defense systems in the recent military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations. It marked the first time these advanced Chinese aircraft were used in active combat anywhere in the world.

During the conflict, Pakistan not only downed six Indian fighter jets, including three French-made Rafale aircraft, but also achieved several strategic breakthroughs that shifted the momentum of the confrontation.

These developments have since been recognised as a historic moment in modern air warfare.

Before the Indian strike, the Indian Air Force had mobilized 180 fighter jets along the western front, aiming to cripple Pakistan’s defense infrastructure and assert aerial dominance in the region.

However, the Pakistan Air Force, equipped with China’s state-of-the-art J-10C fighter jets armed with PL-15 long-range missiles (with a reach of over 300 km), stood ready to counter the assault.

When India launched its air-to-ground missiles from 200 miles inside its territory, Pakistan’s J-10Cs, supported by China’s satellite system and AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control Systems), ambushed the intruding aircraft from 300 km away.

Read: Pakistan shatters India's pride Rafale as The Telegraph acknowledges PAF supremacy

The operation resulted in the downing of over six Indian aircraft, including the high-cost Rafale jets, each worth approximately $250 million.

The international media described the confrontation as the “largest dogfight in modern warfare,” with analysts calling it a case study in tactical air superiority. Air forces around the world are reportedly studying the engagement closely.

France 24, Bloomberg, The Guardian, and other major outlets highlighted the Pakistan Air Force’s tactical brilliance and the combat effectiveness of Chinese military technology.

France 24 reported, “The recent military engagement over Kashmir by South Asia’s arch-rivals saw India deploy its French and US weapons against Pakistan’s new range of sophisticated Chinese arms. In their first battlefield test against Western systems, Chinese weapons mostly hit the mark—sparking interest in some military circles and concern in others.”

Bloomberg noted that the conflict significantly boosted the credibility of Chinese weaponry on the global stage, while delivering a blow to French arms manufacturer Dassault Aviation, whose shares dropped sharply following the loss of its Rafale jets. 

After India indirectly admitted that one of its jets was downed during the May 6–7 engagement, Dassault’s stock reportedly fell by another 5.59%.

Meanwhile, The Guardian emphasised that Pakistan’s successful deployment of J-10Cs and PL-15 missiles served as a live battlefield trial for Chinese arms, one that many Western analysts will be examining closely in the months to come.