MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addresses a press conference on the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on May 12, 2026. | Photo credit: ANI
Days after a Chinese engineer told state broadcaster CCTV that Beijing had provided “on-the-ground” technical support to Pakistan’s air force during Operation Sindoor, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) that the reports “confirmed” what India had known. It also warned countries that supported Pakistan about their “reputation and standing”.
The comments coincide with the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, which began on 7 May 2025 and continued until 10 May, when a ceasefire was declared.
“We have seen reports that confirm 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 outside and at the behest of Pakistan,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a question during his weekly press briefing.
“It is up to the nations that hold themselves responsible to think about whether supporting or protecting terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and status,” he added.
The revelation of the Chinese engineer
As previously reported by The Hindu, CCTV last Thursday (May 14, 2026) televised an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer at the Aviation Industry of China (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter jets and unmanned aerial vehicle designs. The Pakistan Air Force operates a fleet of Chinese J-10CE aircraft manufactured by subsidiary AVIC.
“At the support base, we often heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air raid sirens,” Mr Zhang told CCTV. “Late in the morning, in May, the temperature was already close to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real test for us, both mentally and physically,” he added.
The engineer’s comments were the first confirmation that Chinese personnel played a role in last year’s India-Pakistan clash. The engineer said his team was driven by a “desire to do an even better job with field support” and ensure their equipment was “really operating at full combat potential.”
Published – 12 May 2026 23:03 IST
