India targets China over support for Pakistan during Op Sindoor, urges nations to reflect on ‘protecting terror infra’

On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor (May 2026), China's state broadcaster CCTV aired an interview with an engineer at the Aviation Industry Corpora...

What Happened

On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor (May 2026), China's state broadcaster CCTV aired an interview with an engineer at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) who stated that his team provided on-site technical support to Pakistani forces during the four-day military confrontation with India in May 2025.
The engineer, associated with AVIC's Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, described his team's mission as ensuring Chinese military platforms deployed by Pakistan operated at "full combat potential."
Pakistan had operated Chinese-made J-10CE multirole fighter jets during the conflict; AVIC is the parent entity of the manufacturer of that aircraft.
India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a pointed response, stating it is for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect on "whether supporting attempts to protect terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing."
The MEA added that the CCTV disclosure only corroborated what India already knew, and reiterated that Operation Sindoor was a "precise, targeted and calibrated" strike against state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure.
India simultaneously urged the international community to reconsider diplomatic and material ties with countries that sponsor or shield terrorism.

Static Topic Bridges

Operation Sindoor and India's Counter-Terror Doctrine

Operation Sindoor (May 7–10, 2025) was a cross-border military operation launched by India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, 2025, in which 26 civilians were killed. India struck what it described as terrorist training camps and infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered territory, framing the action as a right of self-defence under international law and the doctrine of "hot pursuit" against non-state actors sheltered by a state.

Operation Sindoor lasted approximately 88 hours.
India cited the right of self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter as the legal basis for the cross-border action.
The doctrine of state responsibility holds that a state can be held accountable for acts of non-state actors if it knowingly harbours or supports them — a principle affirmed in ICJ jurisprudence and in UNSC Resolution 1373 (2001).
UNSC Resolution 1373, adopted unanimously in September 2001, requires all UN member states to deny safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or commit terrorist acts.

Connection to this news: India's framing of the operation as targeting "terrorist infrastructure" and its call to hold accountable states that protect it draws directly on the legal architecture of Resolution 1373 and Article 51.

China–Pakistan Defence Relationship (CPEC and Beyond)

China is Pakistan's largest arms supplier, accounting for roughly 63% of Pakistan's arms imports (SIPRI data, 2019–2023). The relationship is formalised through the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project, but extends deeply into defence cooperation. China has supplied Pakistan with the J-10CE multirole fighter, the JF-17 Thunder (co-developed with PAF), main battle tanks, submarines, and frigates.

J-10CE is the export variant of China's PLA Air Force J-10C fighter; Pakistan was its first and so far only export customer, receiving 25 aircraft beginning in 2022.
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) is a state-owned enterprise under SASAC; the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, which builds the J-10, is an AVIC subsidiary.
CPEC involves investments of approximately USD 62 billion across energy, infrastructure, and corridors.
India has consistently objected to CPEC on sovereignty grounds — the corridor passes through Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Connection to this news: China's admission of on-site technical deployment inside Pakistan during an active military conflict significantly deepens the strategic dimension of the Sino-Pakistani relationship beyond hardware supply contracts.

India's Diplomatic Toolkit: Strategic Messaging and Multilateral Platforms

India's diplomatic response deployed what analysts term "naming and shaming" — using international forums to highlight the reputational cost of backing state-sponsored terrorism. This approach complements India's formal engagement at the United Nations, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

FATF is the intergovernmental body that monitors anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing compliance; Pakistan was on the FATF grey list from 2018 to 2022.
The SCO — of which India, China, and Pakistan are all full members (India and Pakistan joined in 2017) — has a Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) headquartered in Tashkent, but its effectiveness is constrained by India–Pakistan rivalry.
India's MEA typically uses daily press briefings to signal diplomatic positions; statements at this level carry formal weight without requiring legislative authorisation.

Connection to this news: India's public call for nations to "reconsider ties" with terror sponsors is a calculated multilateral signal, targeting not just China but all countries that engage with Pakistan's security establishment.

Key Facts & Data

Pahalgam terror attack: April 22, 2025 — 26 civilians killed.
Operation Sindoor launched: May 7, 2025; lasted approximately 88 hours.
CCTV interview aired: around May 8, 2026 (first anniversary).
AVIC engineer confirmed: on-site deployment to Pakistani air bases during the conflict.
J-10CE: export variant of J-10C, Pakistan's first export customer (25 aircraft delivered from 2022).
UNSC Resolution 1373 adopted: September 28, 2001 under Chapter VII (binding on all UN members).
China's share of Pakistan arms imports (SIPRI, 2019–2023): approximately 63%.
SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) HQ: Tashkent, Uzbekistan.