China the real winner…? How India-Pakistan conflict turned into a jackpot for Beijing, could be a game-changer for export of…
The recent four-day military clash between India and Pakistan has caught world’s attention. It began on the night of May 6, when India launched “Operation Sindoor,” targeting terrorist camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. In response, Pakistan attempted retaliatory strikes on Indian territory. Tensions escalated rapidly, bringing both nuclear-armed neighbors to the brink of war. However, a ceasefire was agreed upon on May 10, and since then, both sides have made strong claims about their actions and outcomes.
While the spotlight has mostly been on India and Pakistan, another country has quietly emerged in the backdrop and one such is China. According to a report by the BBC, China may have gained the most from this conflict, especially when it comes to its defense industry.
Experts point out that Pakistan used Chinese-made weapons and fighter jets during the conflict with India. This has unexpectedly boosted China’s military export profile. The conflict acted almost like a live demonstration of Chinese arms in action, particularly their fighter aircraft, which could now attract attention from other countries looking to modernize their air forces.
China’s silent victory
During the war-like confrontation, the skies became a battlefield, with both countries deploying drones, missiles, and fighter jets. India relied on aircraft built by France and Russia, while Pakistan took to the skies with Chinese-made J-10 and JF-17 jets.
Though both India and Pakistan claimed their fighter jets did not cross each other’s borders and only launched missiles from within their own airspace, the use of airpower was central to this conflict.
Interestingly, this clash has unexpectedly become a turning point for China’s defense industry. Some defense experts are calling it a “Deepseek moment”, a rare opportunity for Chinese weapons to prove their worth in real-world conflict, even though China was not directly involved.
Zhou Bo, a Chinese military analyst, told the BBC that the air battle served as a massive advertisement for China’s arms industry. Until now, China had little to show in terms of how its weapons perform in actual warfare. But this conflict, through Pakistan’s use of Chinese jets, offered the world a glimpse of their strength.
One of the most visible effects of the conflict was the spotlight on Pakistan’s use of Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets. The attention these aircraft received helped boost the reputation of Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, the Chinese manufacturer behind the J-10.
‘Too early to say that Chinese jets had an edge’
However, defense experts warn against jumping to conclusions. Professor Walter Ladwig from King’s College London stated, “It’s too early to say that Chinese jets had an edge in this conflict.” So far, no concrete evidence suggests Chinese weapons decisively outperformed others.
Still, the buzz around Chinese arms, especially on platforms like Chinese social media, paints a different picture. Carlotta Rinaudo, a researcher from the International Team for the Study of Security in Verona, noted that Chinese platforms are flooded with messages celebrating their country’s defense technology. “Even though there’s limited information, the narrative being built is that China came out on top,” she said.
World’s largest arms exporter
The US is currently the world’s largest arms exporter, with China at fourth place. Until now, Beijing has mainly sold weapons to countries like Pakistan and Myanmar, but this conflict could help open doors to other nations that have traditionally looked to the West for military supplies.
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