China delivers PL-15 missiles to Pakistan amid tensions with India: Should New Delhi be worried?

Tensions between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear-armed countries, are on the boil after the Pahalgam terror attack last Tuesday (April 22). Following New Delhi’s punitive measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and revoking visas of all Pakistanis, officials from Islamabad have been issuing multiple threats of decisive action.

For instance, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that any attack by India could trigger an “all-out war” between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. This was followed up by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claiming that if the flow of the Indus water is stopped, “Indian blood will flow” instead.

On Sunday (April 27), Pakistan Minister Hanif Abbasi said that Pakistan’s arsenal — including Ghori, Shaheen, and Ghaznavi missiles along with 130 nuclear warheads — has been kept “only for India”.

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Now, amid these threats and ultimatums, there are reports emerging that the Pakistan Air Force has received a shipment of China’s advanced PL-15 air-to-air missiles. What does it mean for India though? We get you the answers.

China’s delivery of PL-15 missiles to Pakistan

According to recent news reports, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has released images of JF-17 Block III fighter jets armed with China’s PL-15 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air-to-air missiles. The images indicate that China made an express delivery of the missiles at a time when tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi are heightened.

As per a report by Eurasian Times, the missiles delivered to PAF were sourced directly from China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), and not the export model known as PL-15E.

According to a post published by STRATCOM Bureau, China made an urgent delivery of PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles to Pakistan for its JF-17 fighter jets. The social media post also praised China as a “gold standard” ally, highlighting the speed and strategic weight of the move.

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China’s PL-15 missiles, explained

But what’s the big deal about these PL-15 missiles? Developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a state-run aerospace company, PL-15s are active radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missiles.

The development of this missile likely began in 2011 and was first tested the following year — 2012. Some reports state that the PL-15 likely entered PLAAF service in 2018. This missile uses a dual-pulsed solid-propellant rocket and has an AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar. The AESA radar is combined with a two-way datalink, enabling precise targeting and mid-course corrections, making it a highly versatile weapon.

Reports state that the operational range of the PL-15 missiles is 200-300 kilometres and it can travel at speeds of Mach 5. The PL-15 missiles are already integrated into China’s Chengdu J-20, J-10C, and Shenyang J-16.

According to defence experts, the weapon is a pacing threat to Western equivalents like the US AIM-120D AMRAAM and the European MBDA Meteor, known for its ramjet propulsion and large no-escape zone. In terms of range, Meteor is comparable to the export variants of the PL-15. However, the standard PL-15 is claimed to have a longer range than the Meteor.

Once developed, China quickly began to shop the missile to other countries with Pakistan becoming the first export customer for the PL-15E as part of the JF-17 Batch III.

Many note that China’s delivery of the PL-15 missile will give Islamabad a huge advantage in case of a military escalation between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack . The missile’s long-range capabilities is a looming threat for India.

Rising tensions between India and Pakistan

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, there are rising fears that India and Pakistan are hurtling towards a military escalation, which would have ramifications for the world.

In the aftermath of the attack, New Delhi has implemented a series of measures punishing Pakistan for what it states is its “continued support for cross-border terrorism”. One of the measures is the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The Narendra Modi administration has also revoked visas, including medical visas, for all Pakistanis, prompting an exodus.

On Sunday, the Indian Navy also test-fired missiles, showcasing its ability to carry out “long-range, precision offensive” strikes. “Indian Navy ships undertook successful multiple anti-ship firings to re-validate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems, and crew for long-range precision offensive strike,” the Navy posted on X, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, promised a “harsh response” to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Amidst this situation, Pakistani troops have been resorting to unprovoked firing at the Line of Control for the past four days consecutively. In the wee hours of April 28, Pakistan initiated unprovoked small arms fire across the Line of Control in areas opposite Kupwara and Poonch districts. Notably, this was the first time that the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire in the Poonch sector.

But despite tensions rising, most analysts believe that a full-blown war between India and Pakistan is unlikely. They note that there’s a high probability that New Delhi could carry out a limited military action — perhaps a combination of ground and air strikes against terrorist targets in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

It is a wait-and-watch game as of now. As General Deependra Singh Hooda (retired) told The Economist, “Revenge is best served cold.”

In the meantime, the United States has urged both countries to work towards a “responsible solution”. In an emailed statement to Reuters, a US State Department spokesperson said, “This is an evolving situation and we are monitoring developments closely. We have been in touch with the governments of India and Pakistan at multiple levels.”

With inputs from agencies