A reported surge in military air traffic from China and Türkiye to Pakistan has triggered fresh scrutiny in India, with security sources claiming that heavy military transport aircraft made repeated trips to Pakistani airbases over roughly 60 hours.
According to a News18 report, Chinese military transport aircraft were reportedly seen landing at Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi and Masroor Airbase in Karachi, while Turkish military transport aircraft were also involved in the activity.
Security sources cited by the report claimed the flights may have been used to transport military equipment, including drones and other defence-related material. However, the specific equipment allegedly transported has not been independently confirmed.
The reported activity comes amid expanding defence cooperation between Pakistan, China and Türkiye. China remains Pakistan’s major defence supplier, while Türkiye has strengthened military ties with Islamabad in areas including drones, naval systems, aerospace technology and unmanned platforms.
Multiple military heavy airlifters from Turkey and China have reportedly landed at various locations across Pakistan over the past 48 hours
Unusual surge in strategic airlift activity fueling speculation over the nature of the ongoing logistical activity. pic.twitter.com/rlLzyk9NBi— Delta (@TheAccoundant) August 19, 2026Also Read‘Congress Has Become Like Muslim League’: Tripura Minister Sudhanshu Das On Vande Mataram Row
The airlift also follows the August 7 signing of the Pakistan-Türkiye-Saudi Arabia defence agreement, under which an armed attack on one signatory is to be treated as an attack on all three.
The reported movements are therefore being closely watched in India, particularly amid continuing concerns over Pakistan’s military ties with Beijing and Ankara.
The development follows India’s earlier assessment that China and Türkiye provided varying forms of military support to Pakistan during the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict. Indian officials have previously highlighted Pakistan’s extensive use of Chinese-origin fighter aircraft, air-defence systems and drones, while Turkish-origin unmanned systems were also reportedly used.
