INDIA'S TWO-FRONT DILEMMA

China's substantial support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, through intelligence, military aid and diplomatic safeguards, adds to India's strategic concerns

- BY MAJOR GENERAL GAJINDER SINGH (RETD)

China's quiet but steady backing has been a constant factor in the India-Pakistan equation, more so during periods of conflict. This trend once again came to the fore during Operation Sindoor. Pakistan describes its friendship with China as "higher than the mountains, deeper than the sea, sweeter than honey and harder than steel". It is not merely diplomatic rhetoric, it is a strategic alignment developed over time, primarily intended at containing India. China has significantly invested in Pakistan over the years, economically via the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and militarily through the sale of arms and technology transfers.

This relationship began with the signing of the Sino-Pakistan Frontier Agreement in 1963 and Pakistan's ceding of the Shaksgam Valley to China. It now manifests in multiple ways, including diplomatic protection, economic assistance and military collaboration. China has consistently blocked India's efforts to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the UN Security Council's sanctions framework. This has allowed Islamabad to continue using proxy actors without facing significant international consequences.