May conflict was ‘military success’ for Pakistan against India, says US Congress report

A US Congress report revealed that Pakistan was able to gain an upper hand over India during the military conflict in May with the assistance of Chinese defense systems. The report was prepared by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission to assess the US-China bilateral relationship.

China engaged in military cooperation with Pakistan in 2024 and 2025, including joint exercises, counterterrorism drills, and training of Pakistan’s multinational peacekeeping teams.

According to the report, Pakistan’s performance using Chinese weapons during the four-day clash was exemplary.

The report noted that the use of Chinese weapons provided Beijing with real-time testing opportunities. Additionally, Pakistan leveraged Chinese intelligence to its advantage, giving Islamabad a strategic edge over its adversary. T

he report highlighted that China’s modern weapons, HQ-9 surface to air missiles, PL-15 air to air missiles, and J-10 fighter jets, were deployed in combat for the first time, offering China valuable practical field experience.

The report also mentioned that in June 2025, China offered to sell Pakistan advanced military hardware, including the J-35 fighter jet, KJ-500 early-warning aircraft, and ballistic missile defense systems.

In the same month, Pakistan announced a 20 percent increase in its defense budget for 2025–2026, raising it to $9 billion despite a reduction in overall spending.

In 2025, defense cooperation between Pakistan and China intensified, with joint exercises conducted in November and December 2024, and again in February 2025, which reportedly concerned New Delhi.

The report clarified that although China was not directly involved in the conflict and cannot be said to have fought a “proxy war” with India, it continued to provide Pakistan with advanced defense and intelligence support.