Should China worry more about keeping defence customers than winning new deals?

A report from the Bengaluru-based Takshashila Institution, published this month, suggests that China's defense sales face significant challenges. The study highlights customer retention and renewed competition from Russia as key concerns. The report's author, Anushka Saxena, cautions against generalizing the quality of Chinese weaponry, stating that a more nuanced, theater-specific assessment is needed. This approach is necessary to understand the actual performance of Chinese military hardware, rather than relying on broad assumptions. The research questions the reliability of Chinese weapons systems, suggesting they may not be as consistently effective as often portrayed.