SOURCE: AFI
In a surprising turn of events, China’s Ministry of National Defence has debunked claims by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) that the PL-15E air-to-air missiles recovered by India during recent hostilities were mere “fake models” or exhibition pieces. The Chinese spokesperson’s confirmation that the missiles are genuine has not only contradicted Pakistan’s narrative but also raised questions about the reliability of ISPR’s statements and the strategic implications of the PL-15E’s combat deployment.
The PL-15E, an export variant of China’s advanced PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVR-AAM), has been a focal point of recent military tensions between India and Pakistan. On May 7, 2025, debris from PL-15E missiles was recovered in India’s Hoshiarpur, Punjab, following intense aerial skirmishes, marking the missile’s first confirmed combat use by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The PL-15E, with a reported range of 145 km, is integrated with Pakistan’s JF-17 Block III and J-10CE fighters, enhancing its long-range air combat capabilities. The domestic Chinese version, in contrast, boasts a range of 200–300 km, making it a formidable weapon in China’s arsenal.
The recovery of near-intact PL-15E missile fragments, including portions of the guidance system and seeker, sparked significant interest among Indian and Western defense analysts. The missiles, reportedly fired in a “fire-and-forget” mode during the May 2025 clashes, failed to detonate due to possible malfunctions in their self-destruct systems, allowing India to retrieve valuable components for analysis. This incident followed India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), prompting retaliatory strikes by the PAF.
Following the recovery of PL-15E debris in India, Pakistan’s ISPR attempted to downplay the incident, claiming that the recovered missiles were “fake models” or exhibition pieces, not operational weapons. This narrative was echoed in some Pakistani media outlets and social media posts, suggesting that the missiles were either decoys or outdated versions lacking the advanced capabilities of the PL-15E. The ISPR’s claim appeared to be an attempt to mitigate concerns about India potentially reverse-engineering the missile’s technology and to preserve the PAF’s operational credibility amid reported losses in the conflict.
The ISPR’s assertion also aimed to deflect criticism of Pakistan’s reliance on Chinese-supplied weaponry, particularly after Indian media and defense analysts highlighted the recovery as a significant intelligence coup. Posts on X from Pakistani sources suggested that the missiles were merely display models, implying that China had not supplied Pakistan with its most advanced systems. This narrative, however, has been directly contradicted by official Chinese statements.
On May 29, 2025, China’s Ministry of National Defence, via its spokesperson and state media outlet Global Times, confirmed that the PL-15E missiles used by Pakistan were genuine export variants, not fake models or exhibition pieces as claimed by the ISPR. The spokesperson clarified that the PL-15E, while having a reduced range of 145 km compared to the domestic PL-15’s 200–300 km, is a fully operational weapon designed for long-range air-to-air engagements. The statement emphasized that the PL-15E, displayed at international defense expos like the 2021 and 2024 Zhuhai Airshows, is a combat-ready system integrated with Pakistan’s modern fighter jets.
China’s confirmation directly undermines the ISPR’s narrative, exposing inconsistencies in Pakistan’s public statements. The Chinese Ministry also addressed concerns about India’s potential reverse-engineering of the missile, noting that the PL-15E’s export status means its technology is already partially disclosed at international expos, reducing the strategic impact of India’s recovery. However, the spokesperson’s acknowledgment of the missile’s authenticity has sparked speculation about tensions in China-Pakistan defense relations, with some X posts humorously suggesting that China “knew Pakistan would mess up” with its weapons.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.