India-Pakistan Military Showdown: China's Weapons in Pakistan’s Arsenal Face Indian Supremacy

India-Pakistan Military Showdown: China's Weapons in Pakistan’s Arsenal Face Indian Supremacy

As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan, the spotlight is once again on the military hardware both nations deploy. Pakistan’s defense forces primarily rely on Chinese-made weaponry, including the JF-17 and J-10 fighter jets, and the HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system. However, these assets are increasingly proving ineffective against India’s technologically superior military capabilities.

India’s Strategic Edge in Aerial Combat

During recent aerial engagements, Indian air defense systems successfully shot down a Pakistan-operated F-16 along with two JF-17 jets—fighters jointly developed by China and Pakistan. Although Pakistan also fields American-made F-16s and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, these systems have been unable to match the sophistication of Indian countermeasures.

Comparative Nuclear Capabilities

Nuclear deterrence remains a key element of South Asia’s military balance. Pakistan is estimated to hold 169 nuclear warheads—35 deployed on aircraft, 126 land-based, and 8 in reserve. Notably, it lacks sea-based nuclear capabilities, although development of the Babur-3 submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM), with a range of 450 km, is underway.

India, in contrast, maintains a more diverse and robust nuclear triad. It is estimated to possess over 170 nuclear warheads, including 48 air-launched, 80 land-based, 16 sea-based, and 28 stored. The Agni-V, India’s MIRV-capable ICBM with a range exceeding 5,000 km, is currently its longest-range missile. Development of the Agni-VI, expected to surpass 6,000 km in range, is also progressing, with deployment likely by 2027.

Retaliation and Escalation

In a significant escalation, Pakistan launched simultaneous attacks across multiple locations in Jammu, including a drone strike at the Jammu Civil Airport and rocket fire across the International Border. These provocations were met with a decisive Indian response—scrambling fighter jets and activating layered air defense networks that successfully neutralized incoming threats.

Further Pakistani aggression included shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in areas like Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Samba, and Uri. India retaliated swiftly using kamikaze drones, reportedly disabling a Pakistani air defense unit in Lahore.

Operation Sindoor: India's Surgical Strikes

These attacks came in the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor, a precision campaign that destroyed nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The operation was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror incident, which claimed 26 lives and triggered widespread national outrage.

Pakistan’s subsequent attempt to target military installations in 15 Indian cities—including Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Bhuj—was thwarted by India's robust multi-layered defense systems. Technologies such as C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems), Pechora missiles, SAMAR systems, and advanced air defense guns played a critical role in intercepting aerial threats.

The Bigger Picture

This unfolding conflict underscores the widening technological and tactical gap between Indian and Pakistani military capabilities. Pakistan’s dependency on Chinese systems has revealed critical limitations when faced with India’s diversified and domestically-augmented defense infrastructure. As India continues to strengthen its strategic and tactical edge, including in nuclear deterrence and drone warfare, the regional balance increasingly tilts in its favor.