'Affects their reputation and standing': India on reports of China's on-site support to Pakistan during Op Sindoor

Last week, China, for the first time, acknowledged that it had provided on-ground technical assistance to Pakistan during the intense four-day military confrontation with India, according to reports in Chinese state media.

India on Tuesday reacted on the reports of China supporting Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, saying 'It corroborates what was know earlier" and urged Beijing to introspect.

During a weekly press briefing,  spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs,  Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have seen reports that corroborate what was known earlier, 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."

In retaliation against the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives, New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, targeting and dismantling terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"It is for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect on whether supporting or protecting terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing," the spokesperson added.

This firm stance from New Delhi comes shortly after the country observed the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor on May 7. The operation was seen as more than just a retaliatory move, emerging instead as a carefully planned multi-domain surgical strike that continued for 88 hours and significantly altered the strategic rules of engagement in South Asia.

Meanwhile, last week, China, for the first time, acknowledged that it had provided on-ground technical assistance to Pakistan during the intense four-day military confrontation with India, according to reports in Chinese state media.

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Beijing-based South China Morning Post reported on Friday that Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television aired interviews with engineers from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, which is involved in developing military aircraft and drones for the Chinese Air Force.

During the interview, one of the engineers, Zhang Heng, stated that they had worked alongside Pakistani personnel during the conflict.

This marks the first occasion on which China has acknowledged that its personnel provided on-ground technical assistance to its ally, Pakistan.

On July 4, lieutenant general Rahul Singh first revealed Beijing’s active role during the conflict.

“When the DGMO-level talks were going on, Pakistan was getting live inputs on our deployment from China. So that is one place where we really need to move fast and take appropriate action,” Lieutenant General Singh said at a FICCI event.

He also revealed that Türkiye was also involved in the conflict, with the supply of Bayraktar drones to Pakistan.

Also Read | China Behind The Curtain: How Pakistan Was Secretly Guided Against India During Operation Sindoor