Indian authorities have recovered parts of a Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missile in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, following recent military escalations with Pakistan.
Indian media published photos of the missile remnants, though the circumstances of the missile’s presence in Indian territory remain under investigation.
The PL-15, developed by China, is an advanced beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. The domestic variant can reach distances of 200 to 300 kilometers, while the export version used by Pakistan—designated PL-15E—has a reported range of approximately 145 kilometers. It achieves speeds above Mach 5 using a dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motor and is guided by an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar seeker with mid-course datalink updates.
Earlier, Pakistan released the first official images of its upgraded JF-17C fighter aircraft armed with PL-10 and PL-15 missiles. For the first time, officials in Islamabad confirmed the fighter’s capability to deploy the long-range PL-15, highlighting China’s growing role in arming Pakistan with high-tech air combat systems.
The Pakistan Air Force has framed the display as a deterrent move, underscoring its ability to respond to any Indian retaliation.