Signs of Solidarity: Chinese J-10C Bears Six Indian Kill Marks in Tribute to Pakistan’s Air Dominance

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a rare and symbolic demonstration of strategic camaraderie, a Chinese Air Force (PLAAF) Chengdu J-10C fighter jet was recently photographed displaying “kill marks” of Indian Air Force assets—signifying a tribute to the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) combat success during its most recent aerial engagement with India.

The move is widely seen as a gesture of solidarity between two close military allies, with both the PLAAF and PAF operating the Chengdu J-10C, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter aircraft developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), designed to rival the West’s premier fourth-generation fighters.

The Kill Marks reportedly depict three Rafale multirole fighters, one Su-30MKI air superiority platform, one MiG-29 multirole aircraft, and an Israeli-made Heron Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, all of which are claimed to have been neutralized during the recent Indo-Pak air clash.

“Kill marks” on combat aircraft are symbolic emblems painted near the cockpit, commemorating confirmed shootdowns of enemy aircraft or drones achieved by the fighter or its weapons systems during operations.

These visual tallies originated during World War II and have since remained a potent morale booster, serving as both a badge of honour and a psychological signal of aerial lethality to adversaries.

The six kill marks seen on the fuselage of the PLAAF J-10C specifically correspond to aircraft and drones downed not by China, but by Pakistan’s own J-10C fleet—suggesting the markings are emblematic of unified front-line resistance and shared weapon system triumphs.

According to Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the actual number of Indian fighter aircraft downed during the May 2025 confrontation now stands at six excluding one MALE Drone, the IAI Heron.

“The sixth Indian fighter was a Mirage 2000,” said Shahbaz, claiming that it was destroyed in a precision intercept by the PAF near Pampore, east of Srinagar, during night operations on May 6–7.

Despite extensive photographic and forensic evidence—including engine fragments and wreckage scattered across the Line of Control—both India’s military and political leadership have refused to acknowledge the loss of five, now possibly six or seven, high-value combat aircraft.

When questioned by reporters about the status of the missing Rafales, Indian Air Force senior officer Air Marshal A.K. Bharti offered a cryptic response: “We are in a state of war. Losses are part of combat,” while declining further comment.

To many international defence analysts, Bharti’s remark was interpreted as a veiled confirmation of the heavy combat losses sustained by the Indian Air Force in its engagements with Pakistan’s increasingly capable fighter fleet.

It is widely believed that the downed Indian aircraft were engaged beyond visual range by Pakistan’s J-10C fighters using the PL-15, an advanced Chinese long-range air-to-air missile system.

The PL-15 is a Mach 4+ Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile powered by a dual-pulse rocket motor and guided by an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar seeker, optimized for long-range aerial engagements and counter-stealth roles.

This missile system, developed by the China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA) under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), represents one of the most advanced BVR missiles in operational service today—on par with the American AIM-120D AMRAAM and Europe’s Meteor missile.

The J-10C itself is one of the most modern platforms in Chinese service, playing a central role in the PLAAF’s effort to establish air dominance across multiple fronts.

Nicknamed the “Vigorous Dragon,” the J-10C is powered by China’s indigenous WS-10B turbofan engine and incorporates AESA radar, digital flight control, and robust electronic warfare suites, allowing it to perform both air-to-air and precision strike missions with high survivability.

As of early 2025, China is estimated to field over 300 J-10C fighters, making it one of the most numerous and widely deployed tactical aircraft in PLAAF service.

These aircraft are strategically stationed across the country’s five major theatre commands to maximize their geo-strategic reach.

In the Eastern Theater Command, the 25th Air Brigade operates J-10Cs out of Shantou Waisha Airbase in Guangdong, tasked with the sensitive Taiwan Strait sector, where tensions with Taipei and U.S. naval deployments remain high.

In the Southern Theater Command, the 124th Air Brigade at Tianyang Airbase in Guangxi and the 130th Air Brigade at Mengzi Airbase in Yunnan project airpower across the South China Sea and the broader Southeast Asian theatre.

The Western Theater Command deploys the J-10C with the 18th Air Brigade stationed at Lintao Airbase in Gansu, focusing on border stability in Tibet and Xinjiang and managing escalating friction along the Sino-Indian frontier.

Meanwhile, the Northern Theater Command’s 2nd Air Brigade, based at Chifeng Yulong Airbase in Inner Mongolia, supports operations along the borders with Russia and North Korea, extending PLAAF coverage across key northeastern approaches.

Pakistan, for its part, inducted its first batch of J-10Cs on March 11, 2022, following the delivery of six units to Minhas Airbase on March 4, assigning them to the elite No. 15 “Cobras” Squadron.

The acquisition—originally announced in December 2021—was a direct response to India’s induction of French Rafales, and aimed to level the balance of air power in the region.

While the initial order consisted of 25 units, recent reports suggest Islamabad is negotiating to expand its fleet to 60 J-10Cs, highlighting Pakistan’s long-term commitment to the platform and its reliance on China’s expanding military-industrial influence.

In the evolving power dynamics of South Asia, the symbolism of a Chinese jet commemorating Pakistani aerial kills speaks volumes—not just of alliance solidarity, but of a shifting strategic order where indigenous systems like the J-10C and PL-15 are reshaping the region’s aerial balance.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA