Days after a Chinese engineer told state broadcaster CCTV that Beijing had provided “on-site” technical support to the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) said that these reports “corroborate” what was known to India. It also cautioned countries that supported Pakistan about their “reputation and standing”.

These comments coincide with the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, which began on May 7, 2025 and continued till May 10, when a ceasefire was announced.

“We have seen reports that corroborate what was known earlier. Operation Sindoor was a precise, targeted, and calibrated response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, aimed at destroying state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan and at its behest,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a question during his weekly press briefing.

“It is for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect on whether supporting or protecting terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing,” he added.

Chinese engineer’s revelations

As The Hindu had earlier reported, CCTV telecast an interview last Thursday (May 14, 2026) with Zhang Heng, an engineer with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design. The Pakistan Air Force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets that are produced by an AVIC subsidiary.

“At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens,” Mr. Zhang told CCTV. “By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” he added.

The engineer’s comments were the first confirmation that Chinese personnel had played a role in last year’s India-Pakistan clash. The engineer said that his team was driven by the “desire to do an even better job with on-site support” and to ensure that their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”.