Pakistan is not in an arms race with India: DG ISPR

Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that Pakistan’s military development strategy has always focused on integrating effective platforms and indigenous technology. He clarified that Pakistan is not engaged in an arms race with India and has never attempted to hide or manipulate data.

“We are open to acquiring all sorts of technology. Of course lately, recent Chinese platforms, they’ve demonstrated exceptionally well,” stated DG ISPR in an interview with Bloomberg.

Pakistan neither engages in an arms race with India, nor attempts to hide or manipulate figures and facts, said DG ISPR.

Read: Military notes of Indo-Pak conflict: inferences and conclusions

He said the country maintains a military budget “a fraction” of its neighbour’s. “We don’t have the luxury of unlimited money at our disposal,” he remarked.

India was unable to shoot down a single Pakistani aircraft during operation Marka-e-Haq. DG ISPR's statement comes after US President Donand Trump confirmed that seven Indian jets were shot down during the conflict.

DG ISPR also acknowledged the effective performance of Chinese-origin platforms and other weapons used by the Pakistani armed forces during the operation. Pakistan’s Chinese-origin J-10C fighter jets had shot down several Indian Air Force aircrafts, including the Rafale, during the operation.

The spokesperson noted that Pakistan procures equipment from both China and Western nations. “Our development strategy has always been to induct the most effective, efficient, as well as economic platforms and technology,” he added.

Earlier in August, Pakistan also announced the addition of the Z-10ME fighter helicopter to its defence. The Pakistan military already has American borne F-16 fighter jets, along with a mixture of Chinese-origin war machines.

Read more: The politics behind Indo-Pak war

The four-day Indo-Pak war in May 2025 crossed previous thresholds of geographic reach, employed unprecedented systems and produced massive levels of misinformation. Till this day ambiguous and, in some instances, outright fabricated, reports are being propogated by Indian media.

Pakistan’s calibrated and mature response, combined with effective media handling and international diplomacy, shifted strategic equilibrium in its favour. The war ended after significant diplomatic engagement by Trump. This conflict proved far more costly for India, with losses estimated at over $1.7 billion compared to Pakistan’s $236 million.

The crisis not only exposed India’s political irresponsibility but also internationalized the Kashmir issue, while Pakistan’s restrained retaliation demonstrated its commitment to regional stability. However, without meaningful dialogue, the risk of future crises remains, necessitating continued military readiness and diplomatic engagement to deter further aggression.