New Delhi: India is maintaining close watch over the use of Pakistani airspace and ground assets by China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
Recently, a PLAAF Y-20 aerial tanker was tracked refuelling two J-16 fighter jets over Karachi, sources said.
This took place while the PLAAF contingent was returning after participated in the “Eagles of Civilization 2026” exercise in Egypt.
The movement has raised concerns in Indian security circles as it points to an evolving pattern of Chinese military aviation using Pakistani airspace and bases to support long-range operations and the return of aircraft from overseas deployments, as reported by News18.
For nearly 60 hours between August 19 and 21, Indian agencies, open-source intelligence and flight-tracking data had also recorded a concentrated period of Chinese and Turkish military aviation activity in Pakistan.
The activity involved Chinese military cargo aircraft as well as Turkish Air Force (TuAF) transport aircraft, including C-130s and A400Ms. These aircraft were tracked landing at key Pakistani military airbases, including PAF Base Nur Khan near Rawalpindi and PAF Base Masroor in Karachi.
The mid-air refuelling of the Chinese fighter jets over Pakistan is a matter of greater concern, officials have noted. The J-16 is a multirole fighter derived from China’s J-11 family and is designed for air-to-air as well as air-to-ground missions.
This manoeuvre by the PLAAF has got Indian officials wondering whether China is using not only Pakistani airspace for overflight, but its ground bases as well for logistics support and recovery of assets.
The mid-air refuelling over Karachi may be evidence that China is practising or validating sustained fighter operations and long-range strike packages in proximity to India’s western approaches, officials said.
The development also comes against the backdrop of growing China-Pakistan military cooperation. The concentration of Chinese and Turkish military flights at Pakistani bases suggests that Islamabad’s air infrastructure can potentially support multinational military movements and exercises beyond its immediate requirements.
