<p>China on Monday (July 7) said that it has close ties with Pakistan and it does cooperate with the country on defence, but chose not to respond to the direct question of its role and help to Islamabad during Operation Sindoor in May this year. Addressing a media briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “China and Pakistan are close neighbours, enjoying traditional friendship. Defence and security cooperation is part of the normal cooperation between the two countries and does not target any third party.” The Chinese response came after Indian Army's Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rahul R Singh suggested that Beijing provided active military support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor using the conflict as a “live lab” to test various weapon systems. Notably, Pakitan Army chief Asim Munir has also responded on the matter. China also highlighted its relationship with India, stating that it is in "critical moment of improvement and development.”&nbsp;</p><h2>What Indian Army's Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rahul Singh said?</h2><p>Addressing the 'New Age Military Technologies' conference organised by FICCI last week, Gen. Singh highlighted the scale of Chinese influence on Pakistan's defence preparedness, pointing out that as much as 81 per cent of Islamabad's military hardware comes from China. He also said that while Pakistan was the "front face", China extended all possible support to its all-weather ally, Turkiye was also playing a major role by supplying military hardware to Islamabad, adding that India was actually dealing with at least three adversaries during the May 7-10 conflict.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"If you are to look at statistics, in the last five years, 81% of the military hardware that Pakistan is getting is all Chinese...China is able to test its weapons against other weapons, so it's like a live lab available to them," the top Army general said. "When DGMO-level talks were going on, Pakistan was actually mentioning that we know your important vector is primed, and it is ready for action. I would request you to pull it back. So, they were getting live inputs... from China," he added.</p><h2>What Asim Munir said on the matter?</h2><p>Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir on Monday (July 7, 2025) rejected assertions that Islamabad received external support during the conflict with India, saying such assertions are “factually incorrect”. In an address to the graduating officers at the National Defence University Islamabad, Munir said, "Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence,” he said. “Naming other states as participants in the purely bilateral military conflagration is also a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics...," he added.&nbsp;</p>

China on Monday (July 7) said that it has close ties with Pakistan and it does cooperate with the country on defence, but chose not to respond to the direct question of its role and help to Islamabad during Operation Sindoor in May this year.

China on Monday (July 7) said that it has close ties with Pakistan and it does cooperate with the country on defence, but chose not to respond to the direct question of its role and help to Islamabad during Operation Sindoor in May this year. Addressing a media briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “China and Pakistan are close neighbours, enjoying traditional friendship. Defence and security cooperation is part of the normal cooperation between the two countries and does not target any third party.” The Chinese response came after Indian Army's Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rahul R Singh suggested that Beijing provided active military support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor using the conflict as a “live lab” to test various weapon systems. Notably, Pakitan Army chief Asim Munir has also responded on the matter. China also highlighted its relationship with India, stating that it is in "critical moment of improvement and development.” What Indian Army's Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rahul Singh said? Addressing the 'New Age Military Technologies' conference organised by FICCI last week, Gen. Singh highlighted the scale of Chinese influence on Pakistan's defence preparedness, pointing out that as much as 81 per cent of Islamabad's military hardware comes from China. He also said that while Pakistan was the "front face", China extended all possible support to its all-weather ally, Turkiye was also playing a major role by supplying military hardware to Islamabad, adding that India was actually dealing with at least three adversaries during the May 7-10 conflict. "If you are to look at statistics, in the last five years, 81% of the military hardware that Pakistan is getting is all Chinese...China is able to test its weapons against other weapons, so it's like a live lab available to them," the top Army general said. "When DGMO-level talks were going on, Pakistan was actually mentioning that we know your important vector is primed, and it is ready for action. I would request you to pull it back. So, they were getting live inputs... from China," he added. What Asim Munir said on the matter? Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir on Monday (July 7, 2025) rejected assertions that Islamabad received external support during the conflict with India, saying such assertions are “factually incorrect”. In an address to the graduating officers at the National Defence University Islamabad, Munir said, "Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence,” he said. “Naming other states as participants in the purely bilateral military conflagration is also a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics...," he added.

<p>China on Monday (July 7) said that it has close ties with Pakistan and it does cooperate with the country on defence, but chose not to respond to the direct question of its role and help to Islamabad during Operation Sindoor in May this year.</p>

'Traditional friendship...': China finally REVEALS if it helped 'close neighbour' Pakistan in Operation Sindoor

<p>Addressing a media briefing on Monday (July 7), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning downplayed the French allegations that it deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after India used them in conflict with Pakistan in May. When asked about it, Mao said, “I am not familiar with what you mentioned”. Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of National Defence was quoted by Chinese media as denying the allegations. Global Times, in a post on X, said that the Chinese defence ministry labelled the accusations as “pure groundless rumours and slander,” and reiterated China’s commitment to a “prudent and responsible approach to military exports,” and emphasised its role in promoting “regional and global peace and stability.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with a ceasefire understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10. New Delhi has maintained that India's fierce counterattack that day forced Pakistan to plead for ending the hostilities.</p><h2>What did France allege?</h2><p>France also said that shortly after the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, a “vast campaign of disinformation” began to circulate online. The French Ministry for Armed Forces claimed that disinformation was spread to "promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design." French military and intelligence officials claimed China orchestrated a disinformation campaign aimed at damaging the credibility and export prospects of the French-made Rafale fighter jet. French officials said that they have found that the Chinese embassies were trying to undermine Rafale sales by persuading countries that have already ordered the jets, notably Indonesia, not to buy them and instead choose Chinese-made fighters, according to an AP report.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater," the French Ministry for Armed Forces added in a statement. “The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defence industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore, did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships," it said.</p>

China's Defence Ministry rejected claims that it tried to damage the Rafale jet's global image, calling them baseless and slanderous. It reaffirmed its commitment to responsible military exports.


Addressing a media briefing on Monday (July 7), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning downplayed the French allegations that it deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after India used them in conflict with Pakistan in May. When asked about it, Mao said, “I am not familiar with what you mentioned”. Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of National Defence was quoted by Chinese media as denying the allegations. Global Times, in a post on X, said that the Chinese defence ministry labelled the accusations as “pure groundless rumours and slander,” and reiterated China’s commitment to a “prudent and responsible approach to military exports,” and emphasised its role in promoting “regional and global peace and stability.” India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with a ceasefire understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10. New Delhi has maintained that India's fierce counterattack that day forced Pakistan to plead for ending the hostilities. What did France allege? France also said that shortly after the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, a “vast campaign of disinformation” began to circulate online. The French Ministry for Armed Forces claimed that disinformation was spread to "promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design." French military and intelligence officials claimed China orchestrated a disinformation campaign aimed at damaging the credibility and export prospects of the French-made Rafale fighter jet. French officials said that they have found that the Chinese embassies were trying to undermine Rafale sales by persuading countries that have already ordered the jets, notably Indonesia, not to buy them and instead choose Chinese-made fighters, according to an AP report. "The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater," the French Ministry for Armed Forces added in a statement. “The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defence industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore, did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships," it said.

<p>China's Defence Ministry rejected claims that it tried to damage the Rafale jet's global image, calling them baseless and slanderous. It reaffirmed its commitment to responsible military exports.</p>

Did China launch global campaign against Rafale jets during India-Pak tensions? Here's 8-word answer by the Chinese

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'Traditional friendship...': China finally REVEALS if it helped 'close neighbour' Pakistan in Operation Sindoor

China responds to France's allegations of smear campaign against Rafale jets