News Brief
Difficult To Define Chinese State Support To Pakistan During India's Operation Sindoor: CDS General Chauhan
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan (PIB)
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday (8 July) downplayed China’s involvement in aiding Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, stating that the extent of official state support was “very difficult to define", reported The Print.
CDS Chauhan's remarks followed an earlier statement by Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance), who said the 87-hour conflict offered many lessons—chief among them being that India, while fighting on one front, faced at least three adversaries.
At a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) event last week, Singh stated that Pakistan was the visible adversary, but China provided extensive support.
Citing data, he noted that 81per cent of Pakistan’s military hardware over the past five years came from China.
Referring to the proverb “killed by a borrowed knife,” he suggested China prefers indirect confrontation.
He also alleged that China had provided Pakistan with live intelligence on Indian military deployments during the conflict.
Singh said that during DGMO-level talks, Pakistan referred to Indian military vectors being “primed and ready,” implying real-time input from China.
At an Observer Research Foundation event in Delhi, General Chauhan said there was no unusual activity along the northern borders during the conflict with Pakistan.
He noted that since Pakistan imports most of its arms from China, Chinese OEMs would naturally be involved in equipment maintenance.
"Pakistan imports most of its weapons from China. Chinese OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have a number of liabilities, so there will be people attempting to service their liabilities, and they will be there. That happens everywhere,” General Chauhan was quoted as saying by The Print.
He also pointed to commercial satellite imagery services from countries including China, making state involvement hard to define.
"There are a number of Chinese companies also doing work for commercial imagery. You have Maxar and Planet Labs. You can go to China or the US. How much of State support is very difficult to define,” he said.
