India’s Deputy Army Chief, Lt Gen Rahul Singh, has alleged that China provided Pakistan with real-time intelligence on Indian military installations during the recent war between the two countries. Speaking at a defence event in New Delhi, he also acknowledged operational failures and emphasized the need to upgrade India’s defence systems.
Lt Gen Singh claimed that during military-to-military communication, Pakistan appeared well-informed about India’s troop positions and military readiness, suggesting the intelligence was provided directly by China. He added that 81% of Pakistan’s military hardware over the last five years was Chinese-made, and accused China of using Pakistan as a “live testing lab” for its weapon systems.
He further stated that Turkey also supported Pakistan, notably through the deployment of Bayraktar drones and specialized personnel during the conflict. Emphasizing preparedness, he urged improvements in C4ISR systems—Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance—which he described as the backbone of military operations.
The Deputy Chief advised the Indian Army to learn lessons from the war and demanded an immediate upgrade of the country’s air defence systems to face future threats. His remarks pointed to multi-front challenges faced by India during the conflict.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has firmly denied claims of foreign assistance during the war. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in a June 22 interview with Arab News, said: “This was Pakistan’s war, and it was a Made-in-Pakistan victory.”