China “opportunistically” transformed the May 2005 India-Pakistan clash into a real-time experiment for its advanced weaponry, surveillance technology, and intelligence systems, according to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report. The report states that China then leveraged these combat results to aggressively promote its arms industry and challenge Western defense manufacturers.
“Beijing opportunistically leveraged the conflict to test and advertise the sophistication of its weapons, useful in the context of its ongoing border tensions with India and its expanding defense industry goals,” the Commission noted.
Pakistan Deployed Full Spectrum of Chinese Systems During India’s Operation Sindoor
During the May 7–10 hostilities, Pakistan fielded a wide suite of Chinese military equipment, the report highlights. This included JF-17 and J-10C fighter jets, PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, HQ-9 and HQ-16 air defense systems, drones, Chinese reconnaissance satellites, and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.
The report says that the clash marked the first-ever combat use for all these systems, providing China with a rare opportunity to validate its weapons under real battle conditions.
How Many Pakistani Jets Were Shot Down?
A major unresolved question since the clash is the real number of aircraft lost in the intense aerial battle on the night of May 7. More than 125 fighter jets from both sides were reportedly involved.
Pakistan initially claimed it downed five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. Weeks later, Islamabad revised its claim to six, asserting that four Rafales were among them.
India acknowledged losses but has not disclosed how many aircraft were shot down or which models.
US President Donald Trump had repeatedly stated that eight jets were downed in the clash. However, the new US Congress report concludes that three Indian aircraft were lost and not all may have been Rafales.
“Pakistan’s use of Chinese weapons to down French Rafale fighter jets used by India also became a particular selling point for Chinese Embassy defense sales efforts despite the fact that only three jets flown by India’s military were reportedly downed and all may not have been Rafales,” the report stated.
Hence, going by the claims of Donald Trump and the latest US Congress report, it appears that Pakistan lost five aircraft during the clashes.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
