In May 2025, reports documented a brief India?Pakistan clash following an alleged operation named Operation Sindoor. Claims attributed to Pakistan included air combat success and the purported downing of multiple Indian Rafale jets using Chinese PL-15 missiles, along with claims of damage to Indian S-400 defenses.

Note on verification: Independent verification is lacking; claims are uncorroborated at this time.

In November 2025, reports documented a fatal HAL Tejas crash at the Dubai Airshow, which reportedly hurt export prospects amid existing delays. Again, these reports require official confirmation.

Overall, some defense analysts argue a shift in regional airpower perceptions in favor of Chinese-supplied Pakistani systems, while confidence in Indian platforms is documented as weakened by the reported occurrences. This assessment remains contested and should be treated as preliminary analysis.