In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir strongly refuted allegations of external support during the recent four-day conflict with India, calling such claims “factually incorrect” and “irresponsible.” The comments came in response to assertions by senior Indian military officials that China and Turkey had aided Pakistan during the cross-border military escalation.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the National Defence University in Islamabad, Munir asserted that Pakistan’s success in its counter-offensive—dubbed Operation Bunyanum Marsoos—was entirely indigenous, shaped by decades of military preparedness and strategic prudence. “Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan’s successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect. They reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience,” he said.
Munir criticized India for “playing camp politics” by involving third-party nations in what he described as a purely bilateral military confrontation. “Naming other states as participants in the purely bilateral military conflagration is also a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics,” he added.
India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 civilian lives. The Indian military targeted nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan-controlled territories, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The intense military exchanges between May 7 and May 10 led to heightened tensions, which were ultimately de-escalated following mutual agreement to cease hostilities.
However, Indian officials have provided details alleging significant foreign support to Pakistan during the operation. Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance), claimed that Pakistan received real-time battlefield intelligence from China. “When DGMO-level talks were ongoing, Pakistan was receiving live inputs about our deployments from China,” Singh said at a military technology conference organized by FICCI.
Singh further alleged that Pakistan had detailed knowledge about Indian military readiness, suggesting a level of real-time surveillance and coordination made possible through Chinese support. He also noted that over 80% of Pakistan’s military hardware is of Chinese origin and that China may have used the conflict as a testing ground for its weapons systems.
In addition to China, Singh stated that Turkey had played an important role by supplying combat drones, including the Bayraktar UAVs, which were observed in action during the conflict.
Munir dismissed these accusations, saying wars are not won through “media rhetoric” or “imported fancy hardware,” but through “faith, professional competence, operational clarity, institutional strength and national resolve.” He also firmly rejected the notion that Pakistan had pleaded for a ceasefire, insisting that Pakistan was fully prepared for escalation.
Warning of the consequences of future provocations, Munir said, “Any misadventure or attempt to undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty will be met with a swift and resolute response without any constraints or inhibitions.”
As both nations move forward post-conflict, the sharp war of words continues to reflect deeper strategic concerns in the region, with the role of external actors adding a new layer of complexity to South Asia’s fragile security landscape.
