ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has strongly denied Indian military claims that China provided real-time satellite intelligence to Islamabad during the May conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, calling the remarks “false narratives aimed at pacifying the Indian domestic audience.”
The rebuttal came in response to a statement made by India’s Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh, who claimed that Pakistan received “live inputs” from China and drone support from Turkiye during the brief but intense four-day clash earlier this year.
Singh, speaking at a defence industry event in New Delhi, alleged that while Pakistan served as the “front face” in the conflict, China offered extensive behind-the-scenes support — including real-time satellite imagery to expose Indian military positions. He further claimed that Turkiye provided Bayraktar drones and trained personnel.
In a sharply-worded response issued Saturday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that Pakistan fought and won the war independently, both militarily and diplomatically, without any foreign battlefield assistance.
“Buying weapons from a country does not mean its involvement in a conflict. We buy from the US too — does that make Washington a party in our wars?” Asif asked rhetorically.
The defence minister emphasized that while China and Turkiye extended diplomatic support, there was no direct military involvement. He added that Indian accusations are an attempt to justify their military setbacks and manage public perception after suffering what he described as a “humiliating defeat.”
He claimed that Pakistan emerged victorious on both the military and diplomatic fronts, with only Israel backing India — a stance that, he said, further isolated New Delhi internationally.
Responding to India’s narrative of “dual-front warfare,” Asif said the suggestion of China’s military involvement is “misleading and baseless,” adding that many of India’s own defence assets, such as fighter jets and submarines, are of French origin — yet France isn’t accused of being a participant.
Asif issued a stern warning to India, stating:
“If India dares to show aggression again, the outcome will be no different — they will face defeat.”
The conflict, the most severe in decades, erupted following an attack in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in April, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Pakistan has strongly denied any involvement and has offered to participate in an independent, credible investigation.
The war, which involved missile strikes, drone attacks, and artillery exchanges, ended with a US-brokered ceasefire.
Meanwhile, India’s Chief of Defence Staff had previously stated that real-time satellite imagery is commercially available and could have been obtained from any country, not necessarily China.
