China’s partnership with Pakistan has long served as a key instrument in Beijing’s efforts to unsettle India. While official narratives frame the two nations’ alliance as one of economic cooperation and regional stability, the underlying strategy suggests a deliberate attempt to check India’s rise through military, economic and diplomatic maneuvering.
China’s growing influence in Pakistan is deeply intertwined with its own global ambitions. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, offers China direct access to the Arabian Sea, bypassing potentially vulnerable trade routes. For Pakistan, these investments provide critical infrastructure, yet they also cement a dependency that Beijing can leverage to keep Islamabad firmly in its orbit.
For India, the expansion of Chinese control over Pakistani infrastructure — especially in regions bordering India — creates security concerns. The CPEC runs through areas that India claims as its own, fueling tensions over territorial sovereignty, and reinforcing friction between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Beyond economic investments, China and Pakistan maintain robust military ties. Beijing has supplied Islamabad with advanced weaponry, including fighter jets, missile systems and naval assets, ensuring that Pakistan remains a formidable adversary to India. Joint military exercises and agreements on intelligence sharing further cement this defense partnership, forcing New Delhi to expend significant resources monitoring threats from its northern and western borders.
This dual-front challenge diverts India’s strategic focus, preventing it from dedicating full attention to its aspirations as a global power. The mere possibility of coordinated military operations between China and Pakistan serves as a potent deterrent that keeps Indian defense planners perpetually on high alert.
China’s diplomatic backing of Pakistan — especially on sensitive issues such as Kashmir — adds another layer to this strategy. Beijing has repeatedly blocked India’s efforts in the UN to designate Pakistan-based militants as global terrorists, frustrating New Delhi’s counterterrorism initiatives. China’s opposition to India’s bids for leadership roles in international organizations ensures that India remains entangled in regional disputes rather than focusing on broader global ambitions.
While China’s alliance with Pakistan serves multiple strategic objectives, one of its primary functions is to keep India constantly engaged in subcontinental conflicts. By ensuring that New Delhi must continuously address security concerns along its borders, Beijing delays India’s efforts to strengthen ties with other global powers or consolidate influence in Asia-Pacific affairs.
India is adapting. Enhanced diplomatic ties with the US, Japan and Australia, along with growing domestic military capabilities, suggest that New Delhi is working to counteract Beijing’s tactics. The long-term trajectory would depend on how New Delhi leverages its own alliances and economic resilience to turn this geopolitical challenge into an opportunity for greater strategic positioning.
Khedroob Thondup is a former member of the Tibetan parliament in exile.
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