That bigger dimensions is just chinese inefficiency in designing smaller dual pulse motor.
Israelies have been at it for much longer and Indians have learned from Israelies ( through barak 8 and ngarm program ).
Even new American aim260/ jtm 260 won't be much bigger but will pl15 in every possible way because they can design even smaller motors to utilise multi pulse.
Bigger size just makes a missile much slower and less maneuverable against agile targets like fighter jets.
Even more important in nez because outside of nez fighter jets can dodge any missile easily as missile doesn't have much energy to chase. That's the logic of dual pulse it doesn't actually increase range ( other than propaganda value) but it makes missile more deadly within nez so you need missile to be still as small and light as possible.
Hmmm.... To say that chinese dual pulse motor is inefficient in packaging, perhaps, maybe if you can provide a detailed infographic of it's cutaway pic or something which shows its inefficiency in designing a dual pulse rocket motor. On chinese manufacturing less energetic rocket motors than Israelis and Indians, I will say it won't be a fantasy if chinese are better with their vast experience.
Though NEZ is a very important parameter of a BVR missile, the advantage of longer range can't be neglected by the virtue of which enemy aircraft will be forced to remain on defensive even before we can come insider their engagement range, PL 15 has both.
AIM 260 will achieve its range owing to its higher energetic rocket motor and will perhaps either a dual pulse or multi pulse to remain at a good energy state for end game engagement, while having similiar dimensions to AIM 120. In words of USAF, it will be a system which will either match or outmatch the systems such as Pl15. Even US is not in denial about Pl15 threat.
The objective of mutipulse is to make the article remain in favourable energy during flight for effective engagement. We can say multipulse is what makes a longer shot more viable.
Let's leave aim 260 aside, we won't be getting it anytime soon, perhaps never. What about our Astra mk2?? Our counter??
Why do you exactly think that PL15 won't be able to manoeuvre good enough and have longer range despite having the added advantage of better end energy due to dual pulse and added range of longer rocket pulses due to tad bigger sizes than other BVRs. Leave aside so called chinese inefficiency in 2pulse rocket motor designing, which I highly doubt.
Why do you think chinese can't match or outmatch Israelis or Americans?? By the same metric every system or tech which we developed in house which has Israeli analogue is inferior??
Again I will ask, what is our counter to PL15, assuming it's 200km class dual-pulse BVR even if others don't agree. 40km range difference between Astra mk2 is just too much to be ignored and there is no educated analysis,guess or study anywhere which shows that Astra mk2 will indeed match Pl15 in either range or NEZ.
I think we only have SFDR BVR to counter PL15 or say outmatch it, though Pl15 is reality as of now.
