Anushka Saxena
China’s narrative and material backing of Pakistan throughout the current Kashmir crisis is worrying India’s overstretched military.
India and Pakistan are embroiled in hostilities in the aftermath of a terror attack on civilians in Pahalgam, Kashmir on April 22. India’s military response is the result of Pakistan’s military-jihadi complex perpetrating terrorism and discord in Kashmir. With Operation Sindoor, India has set a new normal by expanding the scale of its response to terrorism. This includes moving beyond Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and terror camps and sites to striking targets closer to military installations across Pakistan.
This operation was undertaken to respond to Pakistan’s escalation on May 7, wherein it retaliated to India’s counterterrorism response by shelling border areas. India has also demonstrated a willingness and capability to undertake drone warfare, including the liberal use of loitering munition. On May 10, Pakistan claimed Indian missiles hit three air bases within the country. As the conflict continues, the international community has engaged with both India and Pakistan, seeking de-escalation. The path to a thaw, however, remains elusive.
India faces two overlapping security dilemmas—how to manage both the naval and continental theaters and how to face its two most troublesome neighbors—Pakistan and China. As a regional power, a strategic ally of Pakistan, and a threat actor for India, China is developing its own response to the hostilities. Chinese government officials and media are shaping rhetoric on what India-Pakistan tensions mean for each of the actors specifically and for regional stability in general. Beijing is also enhancing Pakistan’s defense arsenal. In this regard, it becomes vital to understand China’s position and role in the matter.
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