During the four-day India-Pakistan conflict from May 7-10, 2025, China leveraged Pakistan as a proxy to test its advanced military technology against Indian and Western systems, employing its ancient "borrowed knife" strategy, said Lieutenant General Rahul R. Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, at a FICCI seminar on "New Age Military Technologies." Singh revealed that China, supplying 81% of Pakistan’s military hardware, provided extensive support, including real-time satellite intelligence, while Turkiye contributed drones and personnel, making India face a three-front challenge.

The conflict, sparked by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack killing 26, mostly Indian tourists, prompted India’s Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan’s military, equipped with Chinese J-10C jets, JF-17 Thunder aircraft, PL-15 missiles, and HQ-9 air defense systems, claimed to have downed Indian Rafale jets and drones, though India neither confirmed nor denied losses. Conversely, India’s strikes, using French Rafale and Russian Su-30 jets, hit 11 Pakistani airbases, with satellite imagery confirming significant damage, per The New York Times and Indian reports. Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied air defenses, however, struggled, failing to intercept India’s precise strikes, raising questions about their efficacy.

Singh highlighted China’s use of the conflict as a “live lab” to assess its weapons, noting that Pakistan received live updates on Indian military movements via Chinese satellites during DGMO-level talks. “Pakistan knew our vectors were primed, requesting de-escalation, indicating China’s real-time intelligence feed,” he said. This aligns with reports from Business Today and posts on X, where analysts like @Chellaney noted China’s satellite repositioning to monitor Indian assets. Singh referenced China’s “36 stratagems,” particularly “killing with a borrowed knife,” to describe Beijing’s tactic of using Pakistan to harm India without direct involvement, avoiding escalation along their shared border.

Also Read: Kharge Slams Modi Govt Over China’s Exit from Indian Manufacturing, Export Curbs

Turkiye’s role was significant, with Singh noting “numerous drones and trained individuals” deployed, supported by Business Today claims of Turkish hardware aiding Pakistan. This three-adversary dynamic, Singh argued, underscores India’s need to bolster C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and civil-military fusion to counter such coordinated threats.

Despite mixed outcomes—Pakistan’s J-10C jets showed promise, but its air defenses faltered—China’s defense industry gained valuable combat data, boosting stocks like AVIC Chengdu by 40%, per CNN. Mizzima reported Beijing’s frustration with Pakistan’s overuse of Chinese systems, fearing damage to its arms export credibility. The ceasefire on May 10, mediated after intense Indian strikes, highlighted India’s strategic messaging and data-driven targeting, forcing Pakistan to seek de-escalation, per Indian claims, though The Diplomat suggests Chinese weapons gained market traction.

India’s robust response and concerns about a “two-front” threat from China and Pakistan, as noted by san.com, are reshaping its military planning. The conflict exposed vulnerabilities in Chinese systems while affirming India’s growing defense capabilities, potentially positioning it as a reliable arms exporter, per Mizzima.

Also Read: Fadnavis Defends Shinde’s ‘Jai Gujarat’ Slogan as Congress Demands Resignation