The discovery of an unexploded Chinese PL-15E missile during Operation Sindoor marks a new chapter in India’s domestic weapons development program.
The missile, launched by a Pakistani aircraft in May, was discovered undamaged in Indian territory near Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Its condition presented Indian defence specialists with a unique opportunity to study a fully operational sample of China’s advanced long-range air-to-air missile technology for the first time.
Experts from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) swiftly seized the weapon and began a thorough technical assessment in secure facilities. Their major goal was to learn essential information about the missile’s guidance, propulsion, and radar systems.
The Chinese PL-15E, an export variant of the People’s Liberation Army’s PL-15, is notable for its 145-kilometer range and dual-pulse solid rocket motor, which enable it to hit targets well beyond optical range. Analysts say that its superior miniaturized AESA radar and high-energy propellant make it one of the most powerful weapons in aerial combat.
According to reports, Indian experts uncovered various unique engineering qualities that distinguish the Chinese missile from existing Western and Indian counterparts. The study focused on the PL-15’s small AESA seeker module, which improves mid-course target tracking and resilience to electronic interference.
This characteristic has prompted DRDO to rework components of the Astra MK-2 missile to use comparable radar systems. The new seeker, which is currently in the final stages of research at DRDO’s RCI laboratory, has the potential to dramatically improve the missile’s all-weather and anti-jamming capabilities.
Another noteworthy revelation came from an examination of the missile’s motor system. The Chinese concept apparently employs novel propellant chemistry capable of maintaining a constant thrust-to-weight ratio at hypersonic speeds.
By adapting this formulation, DRDO hopes to improve the Astra MK-2’s dual-pulse propulsion system to achieve Mach 5 speeds and increase its engagement range to more than 160 kilometers. Such an upgrade would place the Astra MK-2 among the world’s most capable beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, competing directly with the American AIM-260 and the European Meteor.
Although DRDO has not officially verified the extent to which the recovered missile’s components would be reverse-engineered, defense insiders describe it as a “rare technological windfall.”
The knowledge gained from this single missile is likely to speed up other DRDO programs, including seeker miniaturization and advanced data-linking systems being developed for future AMCA and Su-30MKI integrations.
The rescue comes amid escalating tensions following Operation Sindoor, in which Indian fighter jets carried out precision long-range attacks on Pakistani insurgent facilities. Pakistan’s retaliatory use of Chinese-made missiles demonstrated its growing reliance on Beijing’s defense technology. Since then, Islamabad has reportedly wanted to acquire longer-range PL-17 missiles for its J-10C fleet, as well as thousands of Turkish YIHA Kamikaze drones, to bolster its tactical deterrent.
India’s defence planners have responded by increasing indigenous missile development and stockpiling long-range standoff weapons. The successful battle performance of India’s BrahMos, SCALP, and Rampage missiles during Operation Sindoor has boosted confidence in the country’s precision-strike capability.
India also intends to purchase additional Meteor missiles for its Rafale fleet in order to maintain numerical and qualitative dominance over adversary aircraft equipped with Chinese or Turkish armaments.
Parallel to these efforts, development of the next-generation BrahMos with an 800-kilometer range has gained traction. Once deployed, it will allow Indian strike aircraft to target enemy airbases and command centers without entering hostile airspace.
According to defense analysts, this capability, paired with the Astra MK-2’s increased engagement area, would enable Indian fighters to neutralize threats deep inside Pakistan before entering contested zones.
Despite a stated ceasefire during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has continued to violate it by conducting drone incursions and rocket assaults in the Jammu and Rajasthan sectors. Indian military officers have described these acts as part of a premeditated pattern of escalation. While New Delhi did not resume hostilities in May, defence officials now say that further transgressions will be handled with commensurate kinetic reprisal.
The PL-15E’s remarkable comeback demonstrates how fortuitous discoveries during a crisis can significantly alter the trajectory of defense innovation. By combining wreckage intelligence with indigenous innovation, India appears to be on track to develop the Astra MK-2 into a truly next-generation weapon—one that not only meets, if not outperforms, its adversary’s capabilities in terms of range, speed, and accuracy.
