India-Pakistan Conflict: Defective ‘Made in China’ Missile Found in Punjab?

Following Pakistan’s failed attempt to strike India on the intervening night of May 8 and 9, several unexploded projectiles have reportedly been recovered on Indian soil.

One such projectile, believed to be a Chinese-made PL-15 missile, was discovered in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Visuals of local police inspecting the dud missile quickly went viral on social media, though official confirmation regarding its specifications is still awaited.

Describing the find as a “dud Made in China missile”, former Indian Ambassador to Poland Deepak Vohra told Republic TV, “It doesn’t work and hence has been thrown.” Citing international assessments, he added, “Five out of ten Made in China projectiles fail. That’s a very high failure rate. It is only to be expected.”

The recovered missile is expected to be inspected further by defence and forensic experts to determine its origin and operational status.

The PL-15, also known as Pi Li-15 or Thunderbolt-15, is a long-range beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by China’s Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (AVIC). It is considered a significant leap in China’s air combat capability, with an estimated range of 200–300 km, depending on launch conditions.

However, the discovery of an unexploded missile has cast doubt on the quality and reliability of Chinese defence exports. Social media users were quick to mock the incident, drawing parallels between the missile and common perceptions of "Made in China" goods. “What else can be expected from China?” a few comments on X read.

Fully intact Chinese PL-15 long range air-to-air missile recovered from Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Obviously fired from a PAF jet, likely a JF-17—Failed to detonate.

Yesterday HQ-9B AD system gets smoked in Lahore by an 🇮🇳Harop, now this. Tells you a bit about Chinese weapons quality🥲 pic.twitter.com/PUfTHSTILA

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 9, 2025