US report mentions Pakistan’s ‘military success’ over India in May conflict

A report submitted to the US Congress has mentioned Pakistan’s “military success” over India during the four-day conflict in May this year, stating that Pakistan used Chinese weapons to down French Rafale fighter jets used by India.

“Pakistan’s military success over India in its four-day clash showcased Chinese weaponry,” read the report by the United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission of the US government legislative branch.

Trump says he thinks 5 jets were shot down in Pakistan, India hostilities

The May conflict, the worst clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in decades, was triggered by an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan without presenting evidence. Islamabad rejected the allegation, calling India’s account “replete with fabrications”.

India then launched strikes inside Pakistan, triggering four days of intense cross-border conflict that killed at least 70 people.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan shot down six Indian fighter jets in response to Indian missile attacks. Islamabad has denied any losses of its planes during the clash.

The two countries agreed to a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump who says seven “brand new, beautiful planes” were shot down during the escalation.

“The PLA’s [People’s Liberation Army of China] fighter jets and air-to-air missiles received their first combat use as Pakistani forces successfully flew Chinese-made fighters during a four-day conflict with India.

“This marks the first known instance of these systems being tested in actual combat, providing the PLA valuable data and potentially boosting the credibility of China’s defense exports,” the US report read.

As Pakistan’s largest defense supplier, China provided approximately 82% of the country’s arms imports from 2019 to 2023, it claimed.