From the “Indian Viral Song” “Our Plane Was Shot Down” to the Real Gap between Chinese and Indian Military Industries
Event Review
From May 6 to May 10, 2025, India and Pakistan clashed in the skies over the Kashmir region. According to multiple reports, Pakistan launched several air-to-air missiles during its “Sindh Operation,” successfully downing multiple Indian Air Force aircraft—including three Rafale fighters, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29—as well as destroying a reconnaissance drone. Several Indian pilots were either wounded or taken prisoner. On India’s side, officials claimed to have shot down a Pakistani drone over Indian-controlled Kashmir and launched missile strikes against Pakistani targets, but they did not deny losing any aircraft. On May 7, the Pakistani military even alleged it had disabled 70% of India’s power grid, a claim that Indian authorities immediately denied. Throughout this period, both sides traded accusations in the international media, although neither officially escalated the situation into full-scale war.
On May 10, a satirical video posted by Chinese internet celebrity “Hao Gege” went viral at home and abroad. The video, a parody of the popular Punjabi dance track “Tunak Tunak Tun,” was titled “Just Bought a Plane and It Got Shot Down!” and used an exaggerated beat and mocking lyrics to “celebrate” the many Indian aircraft losses. The clip quickly flooded Chinese short-video platforms and spread again on international social media. Indian netizens, however, reacted with outrage, calling it a distortion of Indian culture and an insult to national dignity. Many demanded it be banned, and some extreme voices called for diplomatic protests.
A Portrait of Chinese and Indian Netizens’ Mindsets
After “Just Bought a Plane and It Got Shot Down!” went viral, many Chinese users saw it as a tongue-in-cheek critique of “the Indian Air Force’s high-profile demonstration, only to suffer heavy losses.” Among younger audiences, this sort of “viral song + satire” fits the humor logic of internet subculture, reflecting a playful, mocking attitude toward the event.
Some commenters used the video to express joy over “our brother nation Pakistan’s victory in the air battle.” At the same time, it hinted at a sense of superiority—that “Indian military industry falls short of expectations”—and highlighted national pride.
Other users had no deeply patriotic motives; they simply found the catchy rhythm and silly lyrics entertaining. They treated it as a “funny internet meme,” remixing and reposting it for laughs. This reflects the “entertainment-first” ethos of many online users.
For Indian netizens, “Hao Gege’s” video repurposing an Indian hit song with strongly derogatory lyrics was seen as an insult to both “Indian cultural symbols” and the “Indian armed forces.” Many Indian users felt their national pride had been seriously wounded.
On social media, some started the hashtag #BanChinesePropaganda, urging major platforms to remove the video and accusing overseas “anti-India forces” of deliberately smearing their country.
A small minority of more rational voices argued that both sides had suffered losses in this aerial conflict, and that “pouring fuel on the fire” via mutual ridicule does nothing to solve underlying issues. They suggested focusing more on each nation’s own defense shortcomings.
The True Level of India’s Military Industry
The Indian Air Force mainly operates imported fighter jets such as France’s Dassault Rafale, Russia’s Su-30MKI, and the MiG-29UPG. Although these aircraft have undergone multiple upgrades, India’s domestically produced fighter (like the HAL Tejas) still lags behind in both quantity and operational performance. In this recent conflict, the three downed Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29 were all high-end imported models. Despite their outstanding design—excellent maneuverability and strong weapons payload—their actual performance in combat fell short, revealing India’s weaknesses in supporting electronic warfare, logistics and maintenance, and pilot training.
In recent years, India has upgraded its arsenal with advanced missiles (SCALP EG cruise missile, Iron Hammer precision-guided bombs, etc.) and its own airborne early warning aircraft (the Netra AEW&C). Yet, in areas like electronic reconnaissance and cyber warfare—often termed “soft-power capabilities”—it still trails behind. During this skirmish, Pakistan’s J-10CE fighters, armed with PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles, blocked some of the Rafales’ infrared-guided channels. As a result, Indian fighters became “blind” during attack-and-defense transitions.
On the logistics side, India’s air force relies on a bewildering array of aircraft from different countries, each with its own supply chain for spare parts that are incompatible with one another. This multi-platform mix slows down maintenance and repairs. Moreover, limited cooperation between ground crews and pilots and a lack of real combat experience also contributed to a high kill-to-loss ratio. Although India has stepped up joint exercises with the United States (such as Cope India and Red Flag), geopolitical constraints mean there is still a gap between simulated training and real combat. During this clash, many Rafale pilots reported that under “intense electronic jamming + ground-to-air interceptions,” delays in the command chain and poor situational awareness became fatal weaknesses.
In short, while India spares no expense in importing cutting-edge equipment, its overall ability to integrate technologies, its pace of domestic production, and the level of its logistics training have not formed a closed, sustainable loop. This resulted in its imported fighters failing to deliver the expected combat effectiveness.
The True Level of China’s Military Industry
Since the J-10’s first flight in 1998, China has continually upgraded it—from the J-10A and J-10S to the J-10C—achieving mature, mass-production supply chains. Pakistan’s air force, which introduced the J-10CE, successfully combined it with PL-15 long-range missiles to shoot down multiple Indian Rafales and Su-30MKIs. This is the first time the J-10 series has scored air-to-air kills in combat, demonstrating that China’s medium-sized, single-engine fighter technology has reached world-class levels. Beyond the J-10, China’s domestic J-20 stealth fighter, Y-20 strategic transport aircraft, Z-10 attack helicopter, and other platforms all showcase a full cycle from design to mass production. For example, the Z-10 (also called “Lightning Fire”) is among the world’s leading attack helicopters in terms of all-weather precision-strike capability. Paired with next-generation radars and missiles, it maintains high survivability and lethality even in complex electromagnetic environments. Countries such as Pakistan, Myanmar, and Egypt have shown strong interest in procuring Chinese-made weapons. The export price of J-10CE and Z-10 is significantly lower than that of Western counterparts, yet their combat performance is comparable. In multiple conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia, Chinese-made platforms have repeatedly proven themselves as “best-in-class for cost performance.”
China’s military industry is led by state-owned enterprises, supported by private suppliers. This system spans every stage—from bearings and composite materials to engines and electronic equipment—ensuring weapons and platforms can be produced in standardized, scalable batches. Take the J-10C as an example: its domestic WS-10 high-thrust engine, digital avionics suite, and fourth-generation radar are all fully indigenous. At the end of 2024, China unveiled the fifth-generation stealth fighter “J-36,” the Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) KJ-3000, and the Type 076 amphibious assault ship equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system. These developments show that China has achieved world-leading capabilities in new weapons system design, wind-tunnel testing, and carbon-fiber composite manufacturing. China’s advanced wind tunnels and digital simulation platforms minimize “trial-and-error” costs, accelerating new-model fielding.
China’s long-term integration of universities, research institutes, and defense enterprises has established a “military-school-research-industry” collaborative innovation model. Under the “Strong Air Force” strategy and “military-civil fusion” policy, the defense sector enjoys abundant research funding and talent, enabling rapid technology-to-combat transitions. For instance, both the J-20 and J-10C benefit from robust base support: ground crews, pilots, and command staff train together frequently, and realistic, high-intensity exercises steadily increase. Overall combat readiness has improved markedly.
In summary, China’s defense industry has moved beyond “following behind” or “running alongside” and is now “leading” in many next-generation weapons systems: from fourth-generation fighters to so-called “4.5-plus” or near-fifth-generation fighters, from long-range aircraft carriers to electromagnetic launch systems, from long-endurance AWACS platforms to new unmanned combat systems. This full-spectrum, end-to-end ecosystem underpins China’s growing prowess.
Significance for China’s Military Power and World Peace
China’s ongoing military modernization has further stabilized the regional balance of power. By shouldering a leading role, China can help forge a multipolar security environment that effectively deters local conflicts from spiraling out of control. While India and Pakistan continue to clash intermittently, China’s sustained edge in military capability allows it to exert diplomatic influence and deterrence, offering stronger guarantees for peace in South Asia and beyond.
Moreover, China’s deep integration of military and civilian technologies not only refines weapons performance but also replenishes the broader hi-tech ecosystem—satellite navigation, 5G communications, and artificial intelligence, for example. These technologies, initially driven by defense requirements, have already permeated civilian markets, boosting innovation worldwide. As more countries share in these technological dividends, communications and cooperation become smoother, and the cost of conflict rises.
China consistently emphasizes the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and a “comprehensive, cooperative, sustainable” security framework. Now that China’s defense industry ranks among the world’s best, it is poised to play a bigger role in international peacekeeping, joint patrols, and counterterrorism exercises. By deploying peacekeeping forces and supplying counterterrorism equipment and expertise, China has repeatedly demonstrated its “responsible great-power” stance—neither provoking trouble nor shirking responsibilities. As next-generation long-range strike systems, integrated naval-air combat task forces, and digitalized command platforms mature, China will be even more capable of “defending peace with sufficient strength.”
Today, global defense industries coexist with both cooperation and competition. Through multilateral initiatives such as the Belt and Road, China is collaborating with diverse countries on joint R&D, technology transfers, and regular exercises. A prime example is China-Pakistan military cooperation: the JF-17 “Thunder” fighter’s indigenization rate in Pakistan has steadily climbed, making it a “high cost-performance, mature technology” platform. Such partnerships help regional countries modernize their defenses and foster transparency in armaments development and export controls.
From the viral meme “Just Bought a Plane and It Got Shot Down,” to the real bloodshed of the India-Pakistan aerial skirmish, to China-Pakistan military collaboration and fierce global arms-market competition, the complexity and diversity of today’s security environment are laid bare. As the world’s most populous country, China’s steady ascent in defense capabilities not only secures its own national defense and territorial integrity but also provides a clear example for promoting a “peaceful, secure, cooperative” international order. Looking ahead, with continuous advances in cutting-edge technologies, China’s military industry will keep driving innovation and military-civil fusion, offering stronger “hard” and “soft” support for world peace.
