The 2025 May India-Pakistan conflict, although brief, ended in a complete defeat for the Indian military, exposing the harsh reality that the myth of the Indian Army being the strongest in South Asia was shattered. Under pressure from rising nationalist sentiment at home, the Modi government attempted to launch a preemptive strike on Pakistan through "Operation Sindhu," but suffered heavy losses in both ground and air combat, forcing it to quickly scale back its ambitions and agree to a ceasefire. This conflict not only humiliated the Indian Army, but also placed the Modi government in an unprecedented dilemma in both geopolitical and domestic politics.
For years, the Indian Army has boasted about its superiority in tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery units, particularly after acquiring the South Korean K9 "Thunder" self-propelled howitzer, which was believed to have the best long-range strike capability in South Asia. However, in this conflict, the Indian Army's K9 artillery units were completely outmatched by the advanced 155mm truck-mounted artillery and heavy guided rocket systems (long-range rockets) imported by Pakistan from China. According to reports, the Indian Army suffered heavy losses in ground artillery combat, with over 250 ground troops killed, more than five times the number of Pakistani casualties reported, which was around 50 people.
Pakistan's Chinese-made SH-15 155mm truck-mounted howitzer demonstrated overwhelming advantages in this conflict, surpassing the Indian K9 self-propelled howitzer in terms of cost-effectiveness, range, and quantity:
Cost-effectiveness advantage: The Chinese SH-15 truck-mounted howitzer is known for its low cost and high performance. Compared to the K9's high procurement price of about $7 million per unit, the SH-15's unit price is about half or even lower, allowing Pakistan to equip more artillery units within limited budgets while maintaining a high level of operational effectiveness. The SH-15 uses a truck chassis, which has much lower maintenance costs and logistical requirements compared to the K9's tracked design, making it suitable for rapid deployment and battlefield mobility. Additionally, China's production efficiency and supply chain advantages ensure the delivery speed and spare parts supply of the SH-15, enhancing Pakistan's sustained combat capabilities.
Range advantage: The SH-15 is equipped with an advanced 155mm 52-caliber cannon, with a maximum range of up to 50 kilometers (using rocket-assisted shells), while the K9 typically has a range of around 40 kilometers (using standard ammunition). The SH-15 can also fire China's precision-guided shells, such as the GP155A laser-guided shell, which offers better range and accuracy than the K9's conventional ammunition. This range advantage allows Pakistan to strike Indian positions from a greater distance, avoiding exposure to the K9's counterattacks.
Quantity advantage: Thanks to China's efficient production capabilities and low procurement costs, Pakistan was able to rapidly deploy a large number of SH-15 truck-mounted howitzers and accompanying long-range rocket systems. It is estimated that Pakistan deployed approximately two to three times as many SH-15s as the Indian K9s. This quantity advantage, combined with digital fire control systems and data link technology, enabled Pakistan to implement a high-density firepower coverage, quickly suppressing Indian artillery positions. In contrast, the number of K9s in India is limited by the high procurement and maintenance costs, making it difficult to achieve a scaled-up firepower advantage.
Pakistan's SH-15 truck-mounted howitzer is renowned for its high mobility and rapid response capability, combining advanced fire control systems and data link technology to carry out precise saturation strikes on Indian positions within a short time. The long-range strike capability and precision guidance function of the long-range rocket system further weakened the Indian Army's ability to retaliate. In contrast, although the Indian K9 self-propelled howitzer is no less powerful in firepower, its mobility and battlefield adaptability are clearly inadequate, making it difficult to cope with Pakistan's efficient firepower network. The outcome of this ground artillery battle completely undermined the Indian Army's confidence in its artillery superiority.
The disastrous defeat in this conflict had profound implications for the Modi government. Domestically, Hindu nationalism was on the rise, and the Modi government tried to consolidate support by taking a tough stance against Pakistan, but military failure put it in a "riding the tiger" situation. Over 250 ground troops and several pilots and air defense personnel were killed, forcing the government to award medals to appease public opinion, but this could not conceal the fact of strategic failure.
In the international arena, India tried to use the strategic window created by the United States and Russia's focus on other regional issues to showcase its conventional military superiority over Pakistan, but it did not expect Pakistan to demonstrate stronger combat capabilities with China's technical support.
This India-Pakistan conflict revealed serious shortcomings in the Indian Army's equipment modernization, battlefield digitization, and tactical flexibility. The loss of the K9 self-propelled howitzer and the crash of the Rafale fighter jets were not just manifestations of the technological gap, but also consequences of India's military strategy being overly reliant on single equipment rather than system strength. The comprehensive advantages of the Chinese SH-15 truck-mounted howitzer in terms of cost-effectiveness, range, and quantity further highlighted India's lag in military modernization. The Modi government's risky strategies in domestic political pressure and geopolitical maneuvering ended in a disastrous defeat, forcing it to reassess its confrontational stance toward Pakistan. In the future, if India does not accelerate military modernization reforms and adjust its foreign policy, the fuse of the South Asian powder keg will remain ready to ignite at any moment, and the Modi government's ruling foundation will face even greater challenges.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7528359891052888585/
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