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China’s PL-15 air-to-air missile made combat debut.
On a quiet morning in Hoshiarpur, a small city in India’s Punjab state, local authorities stumbled upon a startling discovery: fragments of a Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missile scattered across a field.
The debris, confirmed by Indian officials, marks the first documented use of this advanced weapon in combat, a grim milestone in the escalating conflict between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan. The find, reported on May 7, 2025, comes amid a fierce exchange of missile strikes and airstrikes, triggered by a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir two weeks earlier.
As tensions soar to their highest in decades, the presence of Chinese weaponry in the conflict raises urgent questions about the shifting balance of power in South Asia and Beijing’s growing role in the region.
The conflict erupted after a horrific attack on April 22, 2025, when 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in the picturesque Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir.
India swiftly blamed Pakistan-based militant groups, specifically Lashkar-e-Taiba, for orchestrating the assault, a charge Pakistan vehemently denied. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, a coordinated strike involving its army, navy, and air force—the first joint operation of its kind since the 1971 war.
Indian forces fired precision missiles, including SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs, targeting nine alleged terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, including strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke. Indian authorities insisted the strikes were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” avoiding Pakistani civilian or military infrastructure.
Pakistan condemned the attacks as an “act of war,” reporting civilian casualties, including 13 people killed in a missile strike on a mosque in Bahawalpur, among them two three-year-old girls.
Pakistani military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed the strikes hit six civilian areas, dismissing India’s allegations of targeting terrorist infrastructure as “unsubstantiated and unreasonable.” Pakistan’s air force retaliated, claiming to have shot down five Indian aircraft, including two planes and a drone, though Indian officials have yet to confirm these losses.
Amid the chaos, the discovery of PL-15 debris in Hoshiarpur suggests Pakistan’s air force deployed the Chinese missile against Indian targets, a development that underscores the conflict’s technological escalation.
The PL-15, developed by China’s Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC), is a long-range air-to-air missile designed to engage high-value targets such as airborne early warning and control [AWAC] aircraft, tankers, and fighters at distances exceeding 124 miles.
First tested in 2012 and reportedly entering service with China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force [PLAAF] in 2018, the missile boasts active radar guidance, a dual-pulse solid-fuel rocket motor, and speeds exceeding Mach 5. Its advanced navigation system, featuring active electronically scanned array [AESA] radar, allows it to track and engage targets with high precision, even in contested environments.
The PL-15’s domestic version is estimated to have a range of 124 to 186 miles, while the export model, known as PL-15E, used by Pakistan, has a reduced range of approximately 90 miles, according to posts on X analyzing the missile’s capabilities.
The missile is primarily deployed on Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, a multi-role aircraft co-developed by Pakistan and China. Just days before the Hoshiarpur discovery, the Pakistan Air Force released footage showcasing JF-17s armed with PL-15 and PL-10 missiles, describing them as the “PAF’s potent punch.”
The PL-10, a short-range infrared-guided missile, complements the PL-15, providing close-in combat capabilities. The JF-17, equipped with an AESA radar and modern avionics, serves as a versatile platform for these weapons, enabling Pakistan to project air power across its borders.
The rapid delivery of PL-15 missiles to Pakistan, reportedly sourced directly from the PLAAF rather than the export variant, highlights the depth of China’s military support for its ally, especially as tensions with India intensified following the Pahalgam attack.
The conflict’s roots trace back to decades of rivalry over Kashmir, a disputed region divided between India and Pakistan since their partition in 1947. The two nations have fought three wars and numerous skirmishes, with Kashmir often serving as the flashpoint.
The 2019 Balakot airstrike, when India targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Pakistan following a suicide bombing in Pulwama, marked a previous high in tensions. During that clash, Pakistan’s air force used U.S.-supplied AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM missiles to down an Indian MiG-21, though claims of additional kills remain unverified.
The current crisis, however, introduces a new dimension with the PL-15’s combat debut, signaling China’s growing influence in the region’s military dynamics.
India’s air force, equipped with a mix of Russian Su-30MKIs, French Rafales, and indigenous Tejas fighters, relies on a diverse arsenal of air-to-air missiles. The indigenous Astra Mk1, with a range of 62 to 75 miles, and the European MBDA Meteor, exceeding 124 miles on Rafale jets, are key components.
The Meteor, with its ramjet propulsion, is considered one of the most advanced air-to-air missiles globally, offering superior maneuverability and no-escape zones compared to the PL-15.
However, the PL-15’s extended range provides Pakistani pilots the ability to engage Indian aircraft from safer distances, potentially offsetting the technological edge of India’s more advanced platforms. Posts on X have speculated that the PL-15 could challenge India’s Rafales, though such claims lack independent verification.
China’s military ties with Pakistan formalized through decades of collaboration, have deepened in recent years. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor [CPEC], a $62 billion infrastructure initiative, has strengthened economic bonds, while joint ventures like the JF-17 program have solidified defense cooperation.
China’s rapid delivery of PL-15 missiles to Pakistan, as reported by Firstpost on April 28, 2025, underscores a well-organized supply chain capable of responding to crises swiftly. This partnership allows Pakistan access to advanced weaponry, training, and technology transfers, positioning it as a counterweight to India’s military modernization.
India, by contrast, diversifies its suppliers, procuring weapons from Russia, the United States, and France, a strategy that reduces dependence but complicates logistics.
The discovery of PL-15 debris has sparked debate about China’s strategic intentions. By supplying advanced missiles to Pakistan, Beijing not only bolsters its ally but also tests its weaponry in a real-world conflict, potentially enhancing its appeal on the global arms market.
The PL-15’s combat use could serve as a showcase for China’s aerospace capabilities, much like the U.S. AIM-54 Phoenix transformed air combat perceptions in the 1970s. For India, the missile’s presence underscores the challenge of countering a technologically equipped adversary backed by a global power.
New Delhi has already activated its Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, with a range of 25 to 250 miles, to deter Pakistani incursions, as reported by India TV on May 7, 2025.
International reactions to the conflict have been cautious but urgent. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement on May 6, 2025, expressed hope for a swift resolution, noting ongoing engagement with both Indian and Pakistani leaders.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for diplomatic solutions, warning that “the world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.” The strikes have drawn parallels to past crises, but the involvement of advanced Chinese weaponry introduces a new layer of complexity.
The PL-15’s range and capabilities could force India to accelerate its own missile programs, such as the Astra Mk3, or seek next-generation systems like the U.S. AIM-260 JATM, still in development.
Historically, air-to-air missiles have shaped modern warfare, from the AIM-9 Sidewinder’s debut in the Vietnam War to the AMRAAM’s dominance in the Gulf War. The PL-15’s entry into combat marks a similar milestone for China, whose aerospace industry has rapidly closed the gap with Western counterparts.
Unlike the Meteor, which has seen limited combat use, or the AMRAAM, battle-tested across multiple conflicts, the PL-15’s performance remains unproven beyond this engagement.
Its effectiveness depends on the JF-17’s radar and electronic warfare systems, which may lag behind India’s more advanced platforms. Still, the missile’s range offers a psychological edge, signaling to India that Pakistan can strike from afar.
The conflict’s human toll is already evident. In Pakistan, images of damaged buildings and injured civilians have fueled public outrage, with protesters burning Indian flags, as reported by ABC News on May 7, 2025. In India, the strikes have been hailed as a decisive response to terrorism, with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Yet, the civilian deaths reported by Pakistan, including those in Bahawalpur, have drawn international scrutiny, complicating India’s narrative of precision targeting. The PL-15 debris in Hoshiarpur, meanwhile, serves as a tangible reminder of the conflict’s technological stakes.
As the dust settles over Hoshiarpur, the PL-15’s combat debut reverberates beyond the battlefield. For the United States, the missile’s use underscores China’s growing influence in South Asia, a region critical to Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
The Biden administration’s approval of AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles for Saudi Arabia, announced on May 2, 2025, reflects a broader effort to counterbalance Chinese and Russian arms exports.
For India and Pakistan, the conflict risks spiraling into a broader confrontation, with nuclear arsenals casting a long shadow. The PL-15, though a single weapon, embodies the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and rivalry driving this crisis.
The path forward remains uncertain. Will India and Pakistan de-escalate, as global leaders urge, or will the PL-15’s debut herald a new arms race in South Asia? China’s role, as both supplier and potential beneficiary, complicates the equation.
For now, the missile fragments in Hoshiarpur stand as a stark warning: in a region fraught with tension, advanced technology can both deter and provoke, with consequences that ripple far beyond the subcontinent.
Bulgarian military