Chinese defense stocks surge amid India-Pakistan tensions

May 07, 2025 (MLN): Shares of Chinese defense-manufacturing companies rallied on Wednesday, as the escalation in border tensions between India and Pakistan boosted the outlook for mainland exporters.

Pakistan, which has imported a bulk of the defense equipment including J-10C fighter jets, claimed to have shot down five Indian planes, including a French Rafale jet.

This led to speculation that Chinese defense platforms may have been deployed in the conflict, given Pakistan's recent heavy reliance on such arms imports, as Bloomberg reported.

An index of Chinese defense companies in mainland China jumped 1.6% to a two-week high. The J-10C fighter jet maker Avic Chengdu Aircraft Co. was among the biggest gainers, with its stock rising the most since Oct. 14.

Most modern domestically-developed Chinese platforms have not yet been battle-tested, said Eric Zhu, a defense analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. "So having the combat record is a plus for their export potential."

Pakistan has been buying the bulk of its arms from China. Imports from the country made up 82% of Pakistan's stock from 2019-2023, compared to 51% from 2009-2012.

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