Pakistan confirms use of Chinese J-10C jets against India

Pakistan confirms use of Chinese J-10C jets against India as Ishaq Dar addressed the National Assembly amid rising tensions with India.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed on Wednesday that J-10C fighter jets were used in Pakistan’s counter-response to Indian aggression, amid growing media speculation over whether Chinese supplied military hardware played a role in the confrontation that resulted in the downing of several Indian aircraft.

Addressing the National Assembly, Dar said that despite India’s airstrikes and provocative behavior, Pakistan chose to exercise restraint. He disclosed that Pakistani intelligence had detected a potential Indian strike around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, which led to the initiation of defensive protocols.

Dar explained that the Air Force was instructed to only engage Indian aircraft that released weapons, stating: “This is why only five jets were downed. If orders were different, nearly 10 to 12 aircraft could have been hit.”

Following an Indian airstrike, Pakistan’s Air Force downed five Indian jets. Dar added that while four Indian planes tried to violate Pakistan’s airspace, they were intercepted, and retaliatory strikes were carried out against others operating from Indian territory.

Dar specifically mentioned that J-10C fighter jets were involved in Pakistan’s defensive operations.

His remarks came amid ongoing speculation that Chinese supplied defense assets may have been involved in the India-Pakistan confrontation, with confirmation of the J-10C’s involvement adding weight to those assumptions.

Bloomberg reported that shares in Chinese defense firms surged on Wednesday, as rising tensions between India and Pakistan raised expectations for increased demand from Chinese arms exporters.

Pakistan, which heavily relies on Chinese military imports including the J-10C, claimed to have shot down five Indian jets, among them a French-made Rafale, fueling speculation that Chinese defense systems were used in the clash due to Pakistan’s growing dependence on such platforms.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eric Zhu noted that most of China’s advanced homegrown military systems lack combat experience, so their reported use in real conflict could enhance their appeal in the global defense market.