India captures Chinese PL-15 missile launched by Pakistan
During the recent air battles between India and Pakistan, the Indian side captured a Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missile with minor damage, which did not explode due to a technical malfunction of the self-destruct system.
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This was reported by The National Interest with reference to The War Zone. The captured missile was allegedly fired from a Chinese J-10C or JF-17 fighter jet, which were actively used by the Pakistani military during air clashes.
A Chinese PL-15E air-to-air missile. Illustration: Clash Report
The missile found in India did not have an active homing head, battery or detonator, but the warhead remained intact. This allowed Indian military experts to gain access to its design and electronics, which opens up new opportunities for studying Chinese technology and developing appropriate countermeasures.
Remnants of a Chinese PL-15E missile found in India. Illustration: defence.in
The publication emphasises that India is likely to reverse engineer missile technology, using the information gained to improve its own weapons systems, particularly in the area of active homing. In addition, it is possible that the technical data obtained could be transferred to third parties, such as France, the United States or Japan, which could enhance their ability to counter Chinese missile systems.
This is not the first time that the remains of PL-15 missiles have been found in India. For example, on 8 May 2025, it was reported that the wreckage of these missiles was found in the area of air battles where Pakistani pilots shot down several Indian fighters, including French Rafale and Russian Su-30MKI.
Source: The National Interest
