Operation Sindoor Exposes Vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s China-Dependent Defence Systems

 New Delhi, – India’s Operation Sindoor, launched in response to Pakistan’s recent drone and missile attacks, has laid bare significant weaknesses in Pakistan’s defence infrastructure, which heavily relies on Chinese military hardware. The operation highlighted the limitations of Pakistan’s air defence systems and weaponry, exposing their inability to counter India’s advanced military technology and tactics.

Pakistan’s defence systems, predominantly sourced from China—accounting for 81% of its arms imports—suffer from critical shortcomings. Chinese-supplied systems like the HQ-9B and HQ-16, often marketed as equivalents to the U.S. Patriot system, failed to intercept India’s SCALP stealth cruise missiles and HAMMER glide bombs. These systems struggle to detect low-altitude, terrain-hugging threats due to limited detection ranges and vulnerability to jamming. A notable instance saw a Pakistani LY-80 radar in Gujranwala destroyed by Indian Harop loitering munitions, underscoring poor mobility and inadequate counter-drone capabilities.

The lack of redundancy and layered coordination in Pakistan’s air defence allowed India’s Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) tactics to target radar nodes, effectively crippling the network. Pakistan’s fighter jets, including the JF-17 with its KLJ-7A AESA radar, are outclassed by India’s Rafale jets equipped with the RBE2-AA radar, which offers superior detection and tracking accuracy. The JF-17’s limited fuel capacity and reliance on vulnerable mid-air refueling further constrain its operational range, while the exported PL-15E missile, with a reduced range of 145 km compared to China’s domestic PL-15 (200-300 km), is outranged by India’s Meteor missiles (200 km).

Chinese drones like the Wing Loong II and CH-4 proved ineffective, easily intercepted by India’s Akash SAMs and SMASH-2000 counter-drone systems due to their lack of maneuverability and stealth features. Reports also indicate operational failures, with defective Wing Loong drones crashing during missions, exacerbated by Pakistan’s limited $10.2 billion defence budget—compared to India’s $86 billion—leading to maintenance issues and a lack of specialized technicians.

Pakistan’s over-reliance on China, which provides downgraded systems like the HQ-9P (125 km range) compared to its domestic HQ-9B (250-300 km), has left its forces vulnerable. Meanwhile, India’s diversified arsenal, incorporating Russian, Western, and indigenous technologies, ensures greater adaptability and resilience. Pakistani pilots, primarily trained on simulators, also struggled in real-world combat scenarios, in stark contrast to India’s Rafale pilots, who underwent rigorous training in France. The operational inflexibility and integration flaws in Chinese arms exports highlight Pakistan’s strategic disadvantage against India’s technologically superior and well-integrated defence architecture.