New Delhi: Pakistan has deployed 250 Chinese-made SH-15 truck-mounted self-propelled howitzers along its border with India, marking a significant escalation in artillery reinforcement, according to media reports. Intelligence sources revealed that the Pakistan Army has begun systematically positioning these systems across key sectors along its eastern frontier, stretching from north to south.
This move represents one of Islamabad’s most substantial artillery upgrades in recent years and follows India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025, a tri-services counterterrorism programme that struck terrorist infrastructure across the Line of Control and inside Pakistani territory.
The SH-15, manufactured by China’s state-owned NORINCO, is the export version of the PLA’s PCL-181 wheeled self-propelled howitzer. Mounted on a 6×6 Shaanxi truck chassis, the system is designed for rapid deployment and high mobility, capable of road speeds up to 90 kilometres per hour and repositioning quickly across difficult terrain.
The 155mm/52-calibre platform can fire standard NATO-compatible ammunition to ranges of 30 to 40 kilometres, while rocket-assisted V-LAP projectiles can reportedly strike targets between 53 and 72 kilometres away. Equipped with an automated fire-control system and hydraulic stabilisers, the SH-15 can fire up to six rounds per minute and relocate before enemy counter-battery fire can respond.
Defence sources indicate that the induction of 250 SH-15 systems is sufficient to equip multiple artillery regiments, significantly strengthening Pakistan’s long-range conventional strike capability. The deployment underscores Islamabad’s determination to modernise its armed forces and enhance its deterrence posture against India.
The delivery also highlights deepening defence ties between China and Pakistan. Over the past decade, their partnership has expanded beyond arms transfers to include joint military exercises aimed at improving interoperability, networked command-and-control, and combined-arms operations.
On August 6, Pakistan commemorated the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff, described the relationship with China as unique, time-tested, and steadfast in the face of evolving regional and global challenges.
The ceremony was attended by Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, Defence Attaché Major General Wang Zhong, officials from the Chinese Embassy, and senior officers from Pakistan’s Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The deployment of SH-15 howitzers along the Indian border is therefore not only a military reinforcement but also a symbolic demonstration of the enduring China-Pakistan strategic partnership. It signals Islamabad’s intent to bolster its conventional strike capabilities while aligning more closely with Beijing’s defence and geopolitical posture.
