Dragon's Grip: China Arms Pakistan's SSG in Baluchistan

At a practical, ground-level view, recent reports suggest that China is providing military and financial assistance to Pakistan's Special Services Group (SSG) in Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). This has far-reaching consequences.

- DR. NISHAKANT OJHA

These regions, key to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), have witnessed growing insurgency and instability. Local security forces, particularly Pakistan's SSG, have struggled to manage violence and unrest from groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and other armed factions.

This assistance provides a much-needed boost for Pakistan's counter-insurgency operations. However, this also reveals complex geopolitical shifts, especially for India. This analysis examines the implications for the security dynamics in Pakistan, China, and India, focusing on local and immediate impacts.

1. CPEC Security: Ground-Level Realities

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the backbone of China's interests in the region, with approximately $62 billion in infrastructure investments aimed at connecting China's and Pakistan's Gwadar Port. In Baluchistan, CPEC has brought development and controversy. The province holds immense natural resource potential and a critical maritime outlet at Gwadar, but it is also plagued by ethnic separatism, insurgency, and political instability.

For local people, particularly the Baloch, CPEC is often viewed as benefiting China and Pakistan at their expense. Local insurgents, such as the BLA, regularly target CPEC infrastructure, foreign workers, and Pakistani military installations to disrupt the project. There have been several high-profile attacks in recent years, including the 2021 bombing targeting Chinese engineers in Gwadar.