India’s senior military leadership is facing sharp scrutiny after Operation Sindoor’s failure, with top commanders issuing contradictory statements about China’s assistance to Pakistan raising fresh questions over the country’s strategic clarity and defense preparedness.

During an event at the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan maintained that there is no clear evidence indicating Pakistan received real-time targeting assistance or direct military backing from China.

He described Beijing’s support as difficult to define and stressed that no direct proof of active collaboration had been established.

However, Deputy Army Chief Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh offered a starkly different account. He asserted that China provided Pakistan with live intelligence on Indian troop movements, enabling Islamabad to monitor India’s preparations along critical fronts.

Singh characterized the 87-hour Operation Sindoor standoff as a conflict involving “three adversaries,” alleging Pakistan’s real-time situational awareness was bolstered by Chinese intelligence feeds, despite military-to-military communication channels remaining open.

General Chauhan dismissed that version, suggesting any intelligence Pakistan accessed likely came from commercial Chinese satellite imagery rather than direct military cooperation.

He emphasized that although Pakistan sources most of its weapons from China, this alone did not imply Beijing’s involvement in operational planning or combat support.

These opposing narratives have triggered scrutiny of India’s military leadership and their credibility.

Analysts note that instead of presenting a unified assessment, India appears to be deflecting responsibility for its failures by blaming China and Pakistan, further highlighting divisions within the country’s defense establishment.