DG ISPR: Chinese arms performed ‘exceptionally well’ in May clash

Pakistan’s military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Chinese-made platforms used by Pakistan during the four-day clash with India in May performed “exceptionally well,” according to remarks cited by The News from a Bloomberg interview released last week.

“We are open to all sorts of technology,” the DG ISPR said when asked about future acquisitions. He added that recent Chinese systems had demonstrated strong results on the battlefield.

The May hostilities marked Pakistan’s first major operational use of several modern Chinese platforms, including J-10C fighter jets that Islamabad credits with downing multiple Indian aircraft, among them French-made Rafales. The performance of these systems has been closely scrutinised since the confrontation.

Chaudhry said Pakistan has revised its tally of Indian aircraft shot down to seven, up from six earlier — a figure he noted mirrored a recent claim by US President Donald Trump, who mentioned seven aircraft without specifying the side affected. India has countered with its own account, with an air force statement suggesting it destroyed about a dozen Pakistani planes during the conflict. The Pakistani spokesperson insisted that “Pakistan didn’t lose any planes” and that the country “has never tried to play with figures and facts.”

He also pointed to recent additions to Pakistan’s arsenal, including induction of the Z-10ME attack helicopter. President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to Chengdu — where he toured the manufacturer of the J-10 — underscored deepening defence ties with China, though Chaudhry stressed that Pakistan buys from both Chinese and Western sources. The guiding principle, he said, is to procure “the most effective, efficient and economic platforms and technology.”

Placing the procurement debate in context, Chaudhry noted Pakistan’s defence budget remains a fraction of India’s. According to SIPRI data referenced in the interview, Pakistan allocated about $10.2 billion last year versus India’s $86.1 billion. As a share of GDP, however, both countries’ defence outlays were similar — roughly 2.7% for Pakistan and 2.3% for India, respectively.