At the recent CNN-News18 Defence Townhall and as reported by IDRW, Lieutenant General Vinod G Khandare (Retd.), former Principal Adviser to the Ministry of Defence, delivered a pointed critique of Chinese military equipment, especially the kind exported to Pakistan. His remarks raised serious questions about the credibility and battlefield reliability of China’s defense platforms, many of which are yet to be tested in actual combat.
Khandare emphasized that while Chinese systems such as the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet and PL-15 air-to-air missile may appear advanced in design and capability, their real-world performance remains uncertain. This lack of combat validation, he suggested, presents a strategic vulnerability for nations like Pakistan that depend heavily on Chinese arms.
He further proposed that China may be using its ally Pakistan as a testing ground for unproven military systems. “China gives them [Pakistan] these systems so they can be tested, and the Chinese can learn from the mistakes,” Khandare stated, implying that the Chinese military-industrial complex could be offloading experimental platforms to refine its own technologies.
The retired General also touched upon deeper issues within the Chinese defense sector, pointing to the recent purge of several senior generals in the People’s Liberation Army. These sackings, he said, were not just a result of financial corruption but were also linked to the production of substandard weapons. He argued that China’s rush to modernize its military has led to a compromise in quality, further diminishing the credibility of its hardware.
This combination of internal corruption and questionable product integrity, according to Khandare, reflects structural weaknesses in China’s defense production system. For countries like Pakistan, which view Chinese equipment as critical to balancing India’s military edge, this could have significant strategic consequences.
Khandare’s remarks serve as both a caution and an insight for Indian defense planners. While the presence of advanced Chinese platforms in Pakistan’s arsenal might appear threatening, their untested nature could actually provide India with a strategic advantage in the event of a conflict. At the same time, he stressed that India must not become complacent.
With China continuing to invest in its military-industrial network and deepen its ties with Pakistan, India must respond with investments in proven technologies, robust indigenous defense production, and a clear-eyed assessment of evolving threats.
