The recent escalation between India and Pakistan has reignited global interest in the combat effectiveness of Chinese weaponry, as Islamabad’s reported success using Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets challenges long-standing assumptions about Beijing’s military technology, according to Bloomberg.
Pakistan Army claimed on Wednesday, a day after the historic aerial combat between the PAF and the IAF took place, to have shot down five Indian aircraft in response to India’s missile attacks on its territory. These included three Rafale, a high-end multirole aircraft that forms the backbone of India’s recent air modernization drive, one SU-30, and a Mig-29.
Although India has so far not officially commented on the losses, the incident has been closely watched across Asia and beyond.
Last week, French officials confirmed the downing of at least one Rafale, lending weight to Pakistan’s version of events. U.S. officials, too, have said Pakistani forces brought down at least two IAF fighter aircraft using Chinese-made platforms.
Days after confirmations from the international community, a top official of the IAF official vaguely admitted the downing of Rafale jets during a press briefing on Sunday.
“Losses are part of combat,” said Air Marshal Bharti, in response to a question about IAF’s losses, without elaborating on the date, location, or circumstances of the incident.
The reports, if proven accurate, could mark the most significant real-world validation yet of the J-10C’s capabilities, a jet that until now had seen limited combat exposure.
The market reaction has been swift. Dassault’s shares dropped by 7% on May 12 to EUR 292. In contrast, shares of Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), the Chinese aerospace company behind the J-10 fighter jets, saw a significant surge, rising by 20%, reaching to Chinese Yuan 95.86, marking a 60% increase from the previous week.
The development has also triggered alarm in Taipei. “We may need to reassess the PLA’s air combat capabilities, which may be approaching, or even surpassing, the level of US air power deployments in East Asia,” said Shu Hsiao-Huang, a senior researcher at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
The incident is not only a diplomatic and military flashpoint but also a potential inflection point for the global arms market. Pakistan has long been a key buyer of Chinese defence equipment, but until now, many analysts questioned whether Beijing’s systems could match their Western counterparts in real-world battle conditions.
The apparent success of the J-10Cs - along with evidence of the use of Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles, recovered from Indian territory - may now force a broader reassessment.
Debris from the PL-15 missiles, which boast speeds exceeding Mach 5 and are considered China’s answer to the U.S. AIM-120 AMRAAM, was found near crash sites in Indian-administered Kashmir. These missiles, fitted onto J-10Cs, were likely used during the engagements. If confirmed, it would mark the first known use of the PL-15 in active combat.
Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of China’s state-affiliated Global Times, used the moment to issue a warning to Taiwan via social media.
If Pakistan’s strikes prove true, “Taiwan should feel even more scared,” he said, highlighting concerns about China’s growing military confidence in regional conflicts.
China’s defense exports, once considered inferior in quality and sophistication, are gaining traction in the developing world.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) notes that China’s five-year average for arms exports has more than tripled between 2000–2004 and 2020–2024. Beijing is now the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter, with countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar among its core clients.
Still, some experts caution against overhyping the moment. “The J-10C may have had an advantage in this particular engagement, but it’s primarily designed for air superiority, while the Rafale has a wider mission profile,” said M. Taylor Fravel of MIT.
He added that while this isn’t a “DeepSeek moment” - a reference to China’s surprise breakthrough in AI this year, it still marks a significant milestone. “A lot is being learned about how Chinese systems perform under combat conditions.”
Beijing has yet to issue an official response to the reports or comment on its role in the Pakistan-India clash. But with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aiming to become a fully modern force by 2027, and President Xi Jinping pushing for tighter integration of military and civilian sectors, the world may see more such showcases of Chinese military power in the coming years.
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