Strategic Dependency Exposed: Sindoor Reveals China’s Stranglehold on Pakistan’s Naval Future

When Indian missiles streaked across the night sky during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s much-vaunted Chinese-built air defence systems stood silent, unable to intercept the incoming threat.

In naval operations, Chinese-supplied frigates remained docked or struggled with technical glitches, while Pakistan’s J-10C fighter jets failed to assert control in the skies despite years of high-profile induction ceremonies and joint exercises.

These real-world failures were not isolated incidents. They were the most visible symptoms of a deeper strategic problem: Pakistan’s growing dependence on Chinese military hardware. As the dust settled, it became clear that this reliance, often presented as a strength, had instead exposed a critical vulnerability at the heart of Pakistan’s defence posture.

Operation Sindoor has starkly exposed the strategic vulnerability at the heart of Pakistan’s military posture: its overwhelming dependency on China for critical defence capabilities. While Beijing’s support is often touted as a force multiplier for Pakistan, the events of Sindoor revealed that this relationship is increasingly a liability, not an asset.

A Web of Dependency—By Design

As highlighted by Commander Sandeep Dhawan (Retired), China’s dominance as Pakistan’s primary arms supplier is the result of decades of careful strategic planning. By 2017, 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports originated from China, a figure that has only grown since. China’s support spans the full spectrum of military hardware: from J-10CE fighter jets and Type-054A/P frigates to HQ-9P long-range air defence systems and advanced surveillance satellites. This web of dependency is designed to keep Pakistan militarily strong but economically dependent, ensuring Islamabad remains a pliant proxy for Beijing’s interests in the Indian Ocean Region.

Operational Failures Lay Bare the Risks

Operation Sindoor was the first real test of the Chinese-supplied arsenal. The results were sobering for Pakistan. According to S D Pradhan, former chairman of India’s Joint Intelligence Committee, the much-hyped HQ-9 and HQ-16 air defence systems failed to intercept Indian missile strikes, exposing critical gaps in Pakistan’s layered air defence. Similarly, the J-10C fighters—touted as a game-changer—were unable to establish air superiority or prevent significant losses, despite extensive Chinese technical support and real-time satellite intelligence.

On the maritime front, the Chinese-built Type-054A/P frigates, considered the backbone of Pakistan’s surface fleet, suffered from persistent technical issues and failed to mount any credible deterrence during the operation. These failures underscore the risks of relying on platforms that are not only unproven in real combat but also difficult to maintain and upgrade without direct Chinese assistance.

Strategic Autonomy Undermined

This overreliance has come at a steep price: the erosion of Pakistan’s strategic autonomy. As Commander Dhawan notes, China’s assistance is always transactional, designed to further its interests, whether securing energy routes through Gwadar or using Pakistan as a testing ground for its latest military technologies. During Operation Sindoor, China’s support extended beyond hardware—it included real-time battlefield surveillance, integration of multi-domain warfare concepts, and extensive information warfare campaigns to shape global narratives in Pakistan’s favour. Yet, when it came to actual combat effectiveness, these advantages failed to translate into operational success.

India’s Indigenous Path: A Study in Contrast

The Indian Navy’s commitment to building critical warships and submarines indigenously stands in sharp contrast to the Pakistan Navy’s reliance on foreign suppliers. Recent milestones include the launch of the stealth frigate ‘Tavasya’ under Project 1135.6, the commissioning of the lead Project 17A frigate INS Nilgiri, the Project 15B destroyer INS Surat, and the Scorpene-class submarine INS Vagsheer—all designed and constructed in Indian shipyards. India is also set to commission the first Arnala-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, featuring over 80% indigenous content and advanced systems from Indian defence firms. 

With 64 vessels currently under construction—including destroyers, corvettes, and submarines—India’s naval expansion is guided by self-reliance and the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. 

Operation Sindoor has made it clear that Pakistan’s deepening military ties with China are a double-edged sword. The operational failures of Chinese-supplied systems, coupled with the loss of strategic autonomy, have left Pakistan exposed and vulnerable. As India continues to invest in indigenous innovation and self-reliance, Pakistan’s future as a regional military power will remain bottlenecked by its overdependence on Beijing—a strategic weakness that Sindoor has now brought into sharp focus.