Tensions between India and Pakistan have flared again which led to a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir resulting in the most intense military confrontation between the two countries in decades.
But what’s more alarming, is the alleged involvement of China in this conflict. According to an important Defence think tank, China is said to have helped Pakistan with strategic military support during the conflict, which deepened the fears of a two-front threat.
This article explores the details of China’s alleged support role, geopolitical implications and how it has an impact on India’s Defence Posture.
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Recently, a leading Indian Defence think tank revealed that China has been involved in playing a deeper role in ongoing India-Pakistan conflict than previously known.
Ashok Kumar, Director General of the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), added that China has been helping Pakistan upgrade its radar systems, air defences, and satellite coverage to monitor Indian Military activities strategically.
A brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir on 22 April, 2025 triggered this conflict and outrage as 26 people were killed which included mostly Hindu tourists. India held Pakistan accountable and blamed its terror groups while Pakistan in its defence called on for an International probing. As a result, both countries exchanged diplomatic blows, shut down trade routes, expelled diplomats, and launched military strikes. The situation got tense between late April and early May with cross-border shelling and missile strikes which included India’s Operation Sindoor that mainly targeted terror camps, but Pakistan claimed civilian casualties. Kumar claims that China used this conflict not only to assist Pakistan, but also as an opportunity to test its weapons like the J-10C fighter jet and PL-15 missiles in real combat. He also noted that some Chinese systems underperformed. Whereas, on the other hand, India’s Air Defences performed really well against Pakistan's drone activity. Strategically this marks a shift in India’s Defence planning. Indian officials now worried about the creation of a two-front threat as Chinese military tech would be soon available to Pakistan. China might not be directly involved in the conflict, but its alleged support to Pakistan is a major concern for Indian Security. All the three- China, Pakistan, India have not responded to these claims officially but the growing China-Pakistan axis might create complications for regional stability in South Asia.
