'Proven' means they have used it in smaller countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Vietnam etc etc..
I have my doubts when people bring up that ever so common word. Yes we all know China has been hit with arms embargo. However we have procured many Soviet generation weapons and that happened over a decade ago and this is the 21st century you are talking about. Just take a good look at:
With China's present economy and military funding, does it matter so much if the weapons are 'proven' against Talibans, Iraqis, Afghans, Serbians or not?
Personally I do not think so. Don't get me wrong though, America definitely has the cutting edge when it comes to weapons system and to a lesser degree the EU.
The point of my arguments is, if you really want cutting edge from western countries then it is most likely FAT chance.
Instead, you will be paying to obtain cut down versions of their so called 'proven' technology. This way you will never have the same and they will tie you down and always tempt you with 'upgrades'.
If you really want the best, then India should stop buying so much as in 'bulks' and spend more on developing and creating its own. Yes you may get accused of copying, producing something similar yadda yadda yadda... but in the end, you will have better grasp of how those things work and have better ideas of how to modify them to suite your needs. This is one area that I think China really have excelled upon over the years.
There are plenty of misconception or slandering that China is using inferior and outdated Soviet weapons. Little have they considered that those systems had been taken apart and put back together countless times for them to understand them inside out. Allowing them to modify and upgrade them at will, which is what technology is all about. Improving little steps at a time, very rarely do we get to see huge leaps from one product to the next. Take iphones for example (I know it's a silly comparison, but it serves the purpose for now). Each time a new version comes out, it is only a slight change. Most changes happens to the look.
Technological advancement is a continous process of developing and improving. When you get good enough, then you will start to make something indigenously new.
I think India is trying too hard to match China at the moment and I mean everything in general. I think being the worlds biggest importer of military technology is costing India too much, its people and economy are suffering because of it. Let us not forget, China didn't get to where we are today over night. It was through decades of dedicated hard work. I hope India's government does the sensible thing and choose its path wisely
Less competing and more on cooperating is the key to a brighter future.