Summary of this article
Jairam Ramesh sought a discussion in Parliament over claims that China provided technical support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor
The Congress questioned the Modi government over easing trade curbs on China and alleged “capitulation” despite tensions along the border
China’s state media reportedly said engineers linked to Chinese defence firms assisted Pakistan’s Air Force during the four-day conflict last year
On Saturday, the Congress called for a parliamentary discussion on China's allegations that it gave Pakistan on-site technical assistance during Operation Sindoor last year.
Jairam Ramesh, the general secretary of communications for the Congress, questioned the Narendra Modi administration about why trade and investment restrictions on China are being relaxed and why the government wants to increase India's economic reliance on China.
"As the Modi Government follows a 4C policy - Continuing Calibrated Capitulation to China - comes confirmation of China's pivotal role in Pakistan's response to Operation Sindoor," he said in a post on X.
According to Ramesh, engineers from the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, which is a major creator of China's cutting-edge fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design, admitted that they offered technical assistance to the Pakistani Air Force.
"This has not been a secret. It was Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh who had first publicly revealed details of China's pivotal real-time role on July 4 2025. This raises the 4-Whys.
"Why did our Prime Minister - he of the 5.6-inch chest and the tear-stricken lal aankh - give a clean chit to China on June 19 2020, and completely undercut our negotiating position," he asked.
The Congress leader also asked why the Modi government agreed to the loss of our traditional patrolling and herding rights in many places in Ladakh.
"Why has the Modi government failed to even whimper against such an openly hostile action from the Chinese Government during Operation Sindoor? "Why are investment and trade curbs on China being loosened, and why is the Government seeking to deepen our industrial dependency on China with imports reaching record levels? "These issues must be discussed in Parliament," Ramesh said in his post.
Congress's enquiries followed China's initial confirmation that it had given Pakistan on-site technical assistance during last year's four-day battle with India.
Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a major creator of China's cutting-edge fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design, was interviewed by China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday.
According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, which cited CCTV, Zhang had given Pakistan technical assistance during the four-day conflict in May of last year.
An AVIC subsidiary manufactures the J-10CE aircraft used by Pakistan's air force.
