NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday said reports in Chinese state media had confirmed New Delhi’s long-held views about Beijing’s role during Operation Sindoor.
It also raised a question if “responsible” nations would assist in protecting terrorist infrastructure linked to Pakistan.
Responding to reports that revealed Chinese personnel had provided technical support to Pakistan during the military operation in 2025, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal claimed that these reports corroborated what India had previously maintained on China’s involvement.
“Operation Sindoor was a precise, targeted and calibrated response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, aimed at destroying state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan and at its behest,” Randhir Jaiswal said.
“It is for nations that consider themselves as 'responsible' to reflect whether supporting attempts to protect terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing,” he added.
The remarks came after the South China Morning Post, citing interviews aired by Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television on May 7, reported that engineers from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China had acknowledged providing on-site support to Pakistan during the May 2025 conflict with India.
The report was intended to mark the anniversary of the four-day India-Pakistan clash.
According to the report, engineers associated with the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute described working alongside the Pakistan Air Force during the conflict.
One engineer, Zhang Heng, said his team operated under “extreme conditions” at a support base to ensure Chinese-supplied equipment “performed at its full combat potential”.
Another engineer, Xu Da, said the J-10CE fighter aircraft used by Pakistan proved its efficiency in combat.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that killed 26 civilians on April 22.
India alleged cross-border links to Pakistan and carried out air and missile strikes on nine terror-linked locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Pakistan retaliated the next day, triggering an aerial confrontation involving fighter jets, missiles and drones before a ceasefire took effect on May 10, 2025.
India has since maintained that Pakistan’s military response relied heavily on Chinese platforms and support systems.
