Pakistan's all-weather friend China is its biggest defence exporter

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) As the geopolitical situation witnesses a turbulent phase with ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Palestine, the tense situation in the Middle East and Europe, the situation in the South Asian region is witnessing an era which could have serious repercussions for the security of the region.

Post-Operation Sindoor, defence experts noted that a major portion of the equipment that Pakistan used against India was of Chinese origin.

Last month, the Indian Army's Deputy Chief of Staff, Lt General Rahul R. Singh, noted that China is increasingly using Pakistan as a proxy to test its military hardware.

"It’s no surprise that 81 per cent of the military equipment Pakistan has acquired in the past five years is Chinese. China would rather inflict pain through its neighbours than directly engage," he remarked.

According to a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, "China supplied 81 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports in 2020–24, compared with 74 per cent in 2015–19."

At a time when India is increasingly designing and producing its own weapons under the banner of 'Aatmnirbharta', Pakistan is continuously relying more on Chinese weapons, a matter of huge concern for New Delhi.

"China has supplied the largest share of Pakistan’s major arms imports in all five-year periods since 1990–94, and this share has continued to grow: China supplied 81 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports in 2020–24, compared with 74 per cent in 2015–19," according to SIPRI.

This shift in arms export could alter the regional dynamics of South Asia, given the fact that India is fighting a proxy war vis-a-vis Pakistan while it is engaged with China on the boundary issue (LAC).

Although there have been some shifts in India-China relations in the past few months with the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, apart from talks on easing the tense situation at LAC but reports claim that both sides still maintain thousands of troops in proximity in the higher region of LAC.

The Pakistan-China arms nexus has the potential to completely alter the South Asian military balance. Recent conflicts have provided real-world testing grounds for Chinese military hardware, as was seen during Operation Sindoor.

The growing convergence between China and Pakistan does not stop at the diplomatic and defence level as it also includes sharing real-time intelligence. "When DGMO-level talks were on, Pakistan had the live updates of our important vectors, from China... so that is one place we really need to move fast and take appropriate action," Lt Gen Rahul Singh had remarked last month. Several reports have also claimed that China is helping Pakistan to acquire nuclear weapons, and this has raised serious concerns about China's role in fostering instability in South Asia.

In May, a report released by the US Defence Intelligence Agency claimed Pakistan is modernising its nuclear arsenal with military and economic support from China and continues to view India as an existential threat.

Although both China and Pakistan have rejected these claims but the growing closeness between Beijing and Islamabad is a fact which has drawn attention from New Delhi’s policy makers in the South Block.

--IANS

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