China Fighter Jets to Pakistan Boost Defense Industry
The recent conflict has highlighted the growing importance of China's defense industry, with the country's relationship with Pakistan playing a key role in the global arms trade. As the world's second-largest arms exporter, China's defense industry is expected to continue growing, with the J-10 aircraft being seen as a key player in the market.
Pakistan's use of Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to shoot down Indian fighter jets has been seen as a significant boost to China's defense industry, with shares in the Chinese Avic Chengdu Aircraft company surging by up to 40% last week. The conflict between India and Pakistan, which began on May 7, has highlighted the importance of China's relationship with Pakistan, with Beijing investing over $50 billion in infrastructure development in the country.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) had launched airstrikes on what it called "terrorist infrastructure" inside Pakistan, in response to a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan responded with its own airstrikes, and both sides claimed victory. The use of Chinese-made J-10 aircraft by Pakistan has been seen as a "DeepSeek moment" for China's defense industry, with some experts praising the performance of the jets in the conflict.
However, other experts have questioned the claims of the Chinese jets' superiority, pointing out that the Indian Air Force's mission objectives and strategy are not clear. Professor Walter Ladwig from the King's College in London said that the IAF's mission was not to provoke Pakistani military retaliation, and that the Indian pilots were given instructions to fly despite the fact that the entire Pakistani air defense was on high alert.
The conflict has also been seen as a wake-up call for India, which needs to accelerate investments in its homegrown defense manufacturing industry and speed up international buying. India has a long-standing border dispute with China and has been seeking to modernize its military. The country has also been critical of Chinese-made weapons systems in the past, citing their poor quality and technical problems.