Pakistan showcases possible China missile system as ties deepen

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s military showcased an air defence system in a promotional video that resembles a Chinese platform, potentially signalling another layer to the defence cooperation that has deepened since the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.Pakistan did not identify the six-wheeled military vehicle with a large rectangular radar array in a promotional video of its weapons released on Sept 7 on its official X account. Features of the vehicle, shown about 28 seconds into the video, resemble China’s HQ-17A short-range surface-to-air missile system, which was developed on the basis of Russia’s Tor system, said Tianran Xu, senior analyst for Open Nuclear Network.If Pakistan acquired the system, it would mark China’s first sale of the HQ-17A to the South Asian nation. The Pakistan military and air force, as well as China’s Defence Ministry, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The official press account of China’s armed forces confirmed the model in a post on X on Sept 7. It is common for footage of foreign purchases of Chinese weapons to emerge before a public announcement. Xu said the HQ-17A should have good defensive capabilities against cruise missiles, manned aircraft, and other low altitude targets, adding that it could be integrated with Chinese command-and-control systems provided to Pakistan. “However, the effectiveness of the HQ-17 or similar systems against emerging and fast evolving drone threats remains to be tested on a real battlefield,” he said.The HQ-17A is manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and was first publicly displayed at the National Day military parade in 2019. The People’s Liberation Army has an estimated 200 HQ-17 and 50 HQ-17A systems, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.In the past few years, Serbia and Tajikistan have also acquired the HQ-17AE, an export variant based on the HQ-17A, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Military cooperation between Pakistan and China drew global attention when Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets in the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.Pakistan said the jets downed multiple Indian aircraft, including French-made Rafales. India has disputed those claims, and the J-10C’s performance has drawn intense scrutiny since the conflict.India’s air force said it destroyed about a dozen Pakistani aircraft during the confrontation, including at least five advanced fighters, such as US-made F-16s or Chinese-made JF-17s jets. The exact number of aircraft destroyed remains disputed, and analysts have questioned claims of military success by both sides in previous conflicts. BLOOMBERG