“Factually Incorrect” says Asim Munir after India's remarks of Chinese support during Op Sindoor

New Delhi (India) July 8: On Monday, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir rejected India's claims that China provided Islamabad with live strategic support during Operation Sindoor, calling them "irresponsible and factually incorrect."

He said, "Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence." 

Munir said that Pakistan has established itself as a regional stabiliser by establishing lasting partnerships founded on principled diplomacy, rooted in respect and peace, in contrast to India's strategic conduct based on "parochial self-alignment.”

Munir emphasised that any further assault to Pakistan's sovereignty will be dealt with a prompt, decisive response free from limitations or inhibitions, in a covert threat to India.

He said, “Any attempt to target our population centres, military bases, economic hubs and ports will instantly invoke a deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response."

His comments were made a few days after Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, the deputy chief of the Indian Army, claimed that Beijing had actively provided Pakistan with military support during Operation Sindoor, utilising the war as a "live lab" to test different equipment.

Singh said, “If you were to look at statistics from the last five years, 81% of the military hardware that Pakistan gets is from China. In the conflict, China was able to test its weapons against other weapons, so it is like a live lab available to them.”

Gen. Singh stated last week at a conference in Delhi that China is fully supporting its all-weather ally, and that Pakistan is the "front face."

China has traditionally maintained tight ties with Islamabad, investing billions of dollars in the infrastructure and energy of the South Asian country.

Meanwhile, a 2020 border dispute that led to a four-year military confrontation soured India's relationship with China. Tensions started to subside in October after the two nations agreed to withdraw.

Singh went on to suggest that Turkey was also crucial in the conflict by providing Islamabad with military equipment and that India was successfully battling "at least three adversaries" from May 7–10.

After the terror incident in Pahalgam on April 22, India responded by launching Operation Sindoor on May 7, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. After four days of fierce fighting, the strikes came to an agreement to stop military operations on May 10.

According to New Delhi, Pakistan was forced to seek an end to the fighting after India launched a forceful counterattack that day.

Aadrika Tayal