India–Pakistan Conflict May Be First Real-World Test Of Chinese Weapons Against Western Tech

The escalating military conflict between India and Pakistan is giving the world an unprecedented look at how Chinese-made weaponry stacks up against Western systems in live combat.

Pakistan claimed it used Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian aircraft. I Photo: Shang Jieyan eng.chinamil.com.cn

Chinese defense stocks are already surging in anticipation, CNN's Nectar Gan, Simone McCarthy, and Brad Lendon reported.

Shares in AVIC Chengdu Aircraft soared 40% this week after Pakistan claimed it used Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian aircraft, including the French Rafale, during a major aerial engagement.

With China being Pakistan’s primary arms supplier, Beijing is watching the conflict closely to assess the real-world performance of its military hardware.

China, which hasn’t fought a major war in over 40 years, has significantly modernized its armed forces under President Xi Jinping. It has also deepened military ties with Pakistan, providing 81% of Islamabad’s imported weapons over the past five years, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data.