A significant and ongoing debate, particularly in the Indian media, regarding the quality and performance of Chinese-made weapons, especially in the context of recent military engagements involving Pakistan.
Indian Media’s Narrative: Chinese Weapons are “Junk” or Underperforming
– Operation Sindoor: A recurring theme in Indian media reports, especially after “Operation Sindoor” (India’s strikes against alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan in May 2025), is the perceived failure of Chinese-supplied military equipment in Pakistan’s arsenal.
– Failed Air Defense Systems: Indian reports frequently claim that Pakistan’s Chinese-made air defense systems, like the HQ-9, were ineffective in detecting or intercepting Indian missiles and aircraft. Satellite imagery is sometimes cited as evidence of successful Indian strikes despite the presence of these systems.
– Underperforming Missiles and Jets: There are numerous assertions that Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missiles, used by Pakistan’s J-10C fighter jets, either failed to hit targets or were recovered intact without detonating. Indian reports also dispute Pakistan’s claims of shooting down Indian Rafale jets using Chinese aircraft, suggesting Chinese jets underperformed against India’s modern fleet.
– Quality Control and Reliability Issues: Beyond the recent conflict, Indian media often highlights broader concerns about the quality, reliability, and maintenance of Chinese military exports. They point to instances where other countries (e.g., Jordan, African nations, Myanmar) have experienced technical issues, crashes, or required significant repairs for Chinese-supplied equipment.
– Corruption: Some reports from India and other sources suggest that systemic corruption within China’s defense industrial complex leads to a focus on quantity over quality, contributing to the poor performance of exported weapons.
– Lack of Combat Experience: A common argument is that China hasn’t engaged in a major conflict in over four decades, meaning its weapons systems lack real-world combat testing, unlike Western or Russian systems.
Recent reports indicate that Iran is actively pursuing the purchase of Chinese weapons, particularly advanced fighter jets. This comes after Iran’s air force demonstrated significant shortcomings in a recent conflict, and Russia has been slow to deliver promised military equipment.
Focus on J-10C Fighter Jets: Iran has reportedly signed a fast-track deal with China for 36 J-10C fighter jets, with long-term plans for up to 150 warplanes. These 4.5-generation jets are seen as a way to modernize Iran’s aging air force, which largely consists of Cold War-era aircraft.
There are also reports suggesting Iran is acquiring advanced Chinese air defense systems like the HQ-9BE, HQ-16, and HQ-17AE, which can intercept cruise missiles, drones, and ballistic threats.
China has been supplying Iran with surface-to-air missile (SAM) batteries, specifically the HQ-9B system. Morocco, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Egypt also possess this weapon system.
