A PL-15 Air-To-Air missile integrated on a J-20 stealth jet

During the brief but intense Operation Sindoor in May 2025, the Indian Air Force recovered an intact Chinese PL-15E Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) that had been fired by a Pakistani JF-17 or J-10C fighter.

Due to the number of missiles fired by the Pakistanis that landed more or less intact on Indian territory, the entire series of incidents has provided what has been characterized as a treasure trove of information on Chinese weapons.

The missile, which missed its mark and landed softly in a field near Hoshiarpur, Punjab, became one of India’s most valuable intelligence finds in decades. The recovery was possible because the weapon lacked a self-destruct mechanism, a feature standard in Indian missiles but absent in this export Chinese version.​

This represents a major intelligence windfall, providing India’s defence researchers a “treasure trove” of information. The recovered missile was an export variant, less capable than China’s domestic version, and notably lacked a self-destruct mechanism. Initial analysis suggests some advanced features, possibly derived from Russian designs, but the weapon is considered “not mature”, wrote Reuben F Johnson of National Security Journal.

The conflict, triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, saw rapid Indian retaliation, including precision strikes and aerial engagements where Pakistani aircraft launched several PL-15E missiles.

Although some were fragmented upon impact, as many as ten intact or minimally damaged missiles were recovered across northern India, giving the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) a technology goldmine. Forensic analyses and non-destructive testing began almost immediately in DRDO’s Hyderabad and Bangalore laboratories.​

The PL-15E operates using dual-pulse solid rocket propulsion, allowing sustained thrust and high closing speeds. The recovered unit featured a miniature Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar seeker, offering advanced anti-jamming properties and high target discrimination.

India’s engineers discovered that several internal subsystems appeared influenced by Russian designs, notably in the Radome-mounted antenna array and signal processing modules. Preliminary tests concluded the weapon was advanced but immature, lacking robust energy management and self-protection features seen in Western or Russian equivalents.​

DRDO’s reverse-engineering effort soon evolved into an ambitious integration drive. Using digital imaging, electromagnetic scanning, and AI-powered digital twin simulations, scientists recreated the missile’s structural and guidance architecture virtually.

This data has since been merged into the Astra MK-2 program, giving India’s indigenous missile a leap in seeker performance, propulsion sequencing, and electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) handling. An AESA radar-based seeker module derived from the PL-15 has reportedly entered testing, replacing older mechanically steered radar heads in Astra prototypes.​

Integration of the PL-15’s advanced features has effectively accelerated the Astra Mark-2’s timeline, while lessons from the missile’s dual-pulse system and hypersonic flight behaviour are being channelled into the upcoming Astra MK-3, which will use ramjet propulsion.

Moreover, DRDO is developing a Home-on-Jam (HOJ) mechanism inspired by the PL-15’s countermeasure resistance, enabling the Astra to target enemy electronic warfare aircraft. These technological gains are expected to benefit India’s broader Integrated Theatre Command strategy, enhancing cooperative engagement capabilities between Su-30MKI, Rafale, and TEJAS MK-1A platforms.​

Internationally, the recovery has attracted attention from defence communities in France, Japan, and the United States, interested in studying facets of the PL-15’s AESA radar, signal logic, and missile-borne data link systems.

However, New Delhi has maintained tight control of access, treating the missile’s components as a classified asset. Strategically, the episode highlights China’s vulnerability in exporting high-end military technology and the risks of insufficient system safeguards. In contrast, India’s ability to convert battlefield intelligence into indigenous innovation underscores its maturation as a regional defence power.​

The recovered PL-15E missile stands not only as an intelligence coup but as a symbol of technological opportunism. What originated as a failed Pakistani strike has evolved into a catalyst for India’s missile modernisation, potentially reshaping the regional balance of aerial power for decades ahead.​

Based On National Security Journal Report