The clash between these two Asian powers may have far-reaching implications regarding the current international military and defence landscape. It was the first time Chinese fighter jets and air defence systems — in Pakistan’s hands — were tested against their Western counterparts, and, if the battlefield reports are accurate, then the Chinese weapons performed very well. According to Pakistan, its forces downed five of India’s most powerful and expensive war jets — three French-made Dassault-Rafale fighters, a Su-30MKI and a MiG-29 (both Russian) — as well as dozens of Israeli Harop drones and European-made SCALP missiles. While some of these claims remain contested, the confirmed loss of at least one Rafale marks the first time this French aircraft has been brought down in combat.
Pakistan achieved these successes using Chinese defence systems and fighter jets, including the J-10C (Vigorous Dragon) and JF-17 (Thunder), manufactured by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
The news, despite the conflicting accounts, sent shockwaves through global arms markets. Dassault saw its stock suddenly plunge on the Paris Stock Exchange, while Chengdu’s share prices surged by 40 per cent. Such figures mirror a remarkable shift in international military equations, elevating the Chinese defence capacities to a new status as one of the world’s leading arms producers. China is poised to reshape global military balances through advanced weapons that outperform the West’s fourth-generation arms.
The significance of the India-Pakistan showdown extends to our region, particularly as Egypt has incorporated Chinese-made air defence systems into its arsenal. Chinese J-10s were just featured in the 18-day Eagles of Civilisation 2025 joint military exercises between Egypt and China, which concluded earlier this month.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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