Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has refuted allegations that China provided military support to Pakistan during its conflict with India in May 2025. Munir dismissed these claims as "factually incorrect" and "irresponsible". His remarks follow accusations made by Indian Army Deputy Chief Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, who stated that China provided Islamabad with "live inputs" on key Indian positions during the conflict.
Munir addressed graduating officers at the National Defence University in Islamabad, stating that insinuations of external support in Pakistan's "successful Operation Bunyan Al Marsoos" are unfounded. He described the allegations as a reflection of India's reluctance to acknowledge Pakistan's indigenous capabilities and strategic prudence. He also accused India of attempting to draw other countries into a bilateral issue.
The May 2025 conflict involved missile, drone, and artillery fire between India and Pakistan, marking the worst fighting in decades. The conflict was triggered by an attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir in April, which India blamed on Pakistan. Pakistan has denied involvement in the April attack.
Munir criticized India's military performance during "Operation Sindoor," stating that India's failure to achieve its objectives highlighted shortcomings in planning and capability. He added that India's attempt to rationalize its failures through "convoluted logic" spoke volumes about its lack of operational readiness and strategic foresight.
He issued a warning to India, stating that any attempt to target Pakistan's population centers, military bases, economic hubs, or ports would be met with a "deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response". He further stated that the responsibility for any escalation would lie with the "strategically blind, arrogant aggressor".
Despite Munir's denial, a few weeks prior, former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari thanked China for its "unequivocal support" during a meeting with China's Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong. Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh also stated that Turkiye played a significant role by supplying military hardware to Islamabad, suggesting that India was dealing with multiple adversaries during the conflict.
Pakistani officials have consistently denied receiving active support from China during the conflict. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that there was no direct Chinese military involvement during the May conflict. Munir described India's claims as a "shoddy attempt" to deflect from its battlefield failures and to involve other states in a bilateral military issue. He also claimed India is trying to remain the beneficiary of geopolitical issues as a "net security provider" in the region.
