In the grand chessboard of South Asian geopolitics, China’s partnership with Pakistan has long served as a key instrument in Beijing’s efforts to unsettle India. While official narratives frame the China-Pakistan 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 Beijing’s 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. 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 intelligence-sharing agreements further cement this defense partnership, forcing New Delhi to expend significant resources monitoring threats from both 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 to designate Pakistan-based militants as global terrorists in the United Nations, frustrating New Delhi’s counterterrorism initiatives. Additionally, 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.
Yet, India is adapting. Strengthened diplomatic ties with the U.S., Japan, and Australia, along with growing domestic military capabilities, suggest that New Delhi is actively working to counteract Beijing’s tactics. While China’s Pakistan strategy may continue to unsettle India, the long-term trajectory will depend on how New Delhi leverages its own alliances and economic resilience to turn this geopolitical challenge into an opportunity for greater strategic positioning.