The deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives, has reignited long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan. Claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, the attack prompted India’s swift military response through Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Amid this heightened conflict, China’s growing involvement—from military support and economic lifelines to a full-scale disinformation campaign—raises serious concerns about Beijing’s regional intentions.
This opinion argues that China is actively using Pakistan as a strategic proxy to curb India’s growing global influence, especially as manufacturing shifts away from China toward India, aided by U.S. tariffs and global realignments.
Military Aid & Economic Backing: China’s Stealthy Support for Pakistan
As India emerges as a serious challenger to China’s manufacturing dominance, thanks to corporate moves like Apple relocating production to India, Beijing has sought to counter this trend by reinforcing its so-called iron brother, Pakistan, militarily. Following the Pahalgam attack, China reportedly fast-tracked the delivery of PL-15 air-to-air missiles to Pakistan. These missiles were quickly integrated into JF-17 Block III jets, co-developed by China and Pakistan, with a range capable of threatening Indian aircraft up to 300 km away. China’s long-term investment in Pakistan’s military includes:
- A $2–3 billion JF-17 fighter jet program since 2007
- $5 billion for eight Type-041 submarines
- $1.4 billion for four Type-054A/P frigates
- $1.5–2 billion for 36 J-10CE jets (to counter India’s Rafales)
These arms deals, often coupled with low-interest financing, are crucial for Pakistan’s military, especially as the country continues to face economic collapse and rising debt. Former U.S. financial support for Pakistan’s defense has dwindled, and now China has filled that void. As Pakistan’s own Defense Minister Khawaja Asif admitted, the country has done “decades of dirty work”—a veiled admission of state-sponsored terrorism, now backed by Beijing.
Weaponizing Disinformation: Beijing’s Narrative War
China’s backing isn’t limited to weapons. Following Operation Sindoor, Chinese state media outlets like Xinhua, CCTV, and Global Times echoed Pakistan’s denials and labeled the Pahalgam attack as the work of “unknown gunmen.” They discouraged “premature conclusions” and promoted the notion that the attack might be a “false flag” by India—a narrative that closely mirrors Islamabad’s rhetoric.
Even more troubling is the wave of false claims on Chinese social media, tightly controlled by the Communist Party. Fake reports emerged that Pakistan’s JF-17s had shot down Indian Rafales, claims unsupported by any credible source. Despite denials from India’s embassy in Beijing, these narratives were amplified to:
- Undermine India’s military reputation
- Promote Chinese weapons as superior to Western systems
- Discourage foreign investment in India by portraying it as unstable
Similar tactics were used during the U.S.–China trade war, when Beijing launched propaganda campaigns to sway American consumers and discourage companies from relocating operations. Now, India is the new target.
Geopolitical Divide: Allies and Adversaries
The current standoff has revealed clear global alignments. The U.S., Israel, and Western powers have rallied behind India, affirming its right to self-defense. President Trump condemned the Pahalgam massacre, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Pakistan to cooperate in investigations. Israel’s Ambassador Reuven Azar supported India’s operation, stating, “Terrorists should know there’s no place to hide.”
In contrast, China and Turkiye have doubled down on their support for Pakistan. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for an “impartial investigation”—a term analysts argue dilutes accountability. Turkiye has gone further. President Erdoğan, during his April 22 visit to Pakistan, oversaw the delivery of military aid, including C-130 cargo planes filled with combat gear, and reaffirmed support for Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir. The OIC, influenced by Islamabad, condemned India’s accusations, further exposing the diplomatic split.
Strategic Calculations: China’s Long Game
Beijing’s strategy goes beyond supporting an ally—it is about preserving its influence in a shifting global order. Trump’s tariffs catalyzed a reorientation of supply chains, with India emerging as a leading alternative to China. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—worth over $60 billion—is central to Beijing’s ambitions, and India’s growing regional power, coupled with domestic unrest in Balochistan, threatens this investment.
China’s regular joint military exercises with Pakistan, such as the “Shaheen” air drills, and reports of satellite surveillance assistance to Pakistan further demonstrate how deeply interlinked the two countries have become.
Proxy Wars, Nuclear Risks, and Global Consequences
China’s strategy of arming and amplifying Pakistan risks destabilizing a nuclear-armed region. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called India’s retaliation “an act of war,” while India has made clear that it’s prepared to escalate if necessary.
The disinformation campaign, too, carries global consequences. China’s muted response at the UN Security Council, with no post-meeting press statement, suggests a careful balancing act—provoking without confrontation. But in backing a financially collapsing Pakistan to wage proxy conflicts, China risks entangling itself in an unstable quagmire.
Conclusion: India, Targeted but Not Isolated
China’s deepening support for Pakistan through weapons, funding, and digital warfare reveals a calculated campaign to undermine India’s rise as a global manufacturing and strategic power. The attacks in Pahalgam and India’s response with Operation Sindoor have peeled back the curtain on a broader proxy conflict, where disinformation and diplomacy are as potent as missiles and jets.
As the U.S., Israel, and Europe reaffirm their support for India’s sovereignty and counter-terrorism efforts, the burden is now on the international community to confront and expose this hybrid warfare. India’s resilience is clear—but so is the challenge.
Peace in the Indian subcontinent will not come without dismantling the networks of support, both state and non-state, that enable terrorism and spread falsehoods. Until then, India’s battle is not just for security, but for truth in the age of global deception.