Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has underscored the pivotal and growing influence of China in the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, arguing that “defence may be the wrong word” to describe the nature of Chinese involvement, which he characterized as increasingly offensive in both scope and intent. 

Speaking during a parliamentary delegation visit to the United States, Tharoor revealed that 81 percent of Pakistan’s defence equipment is sourced from China, making Beijing an “impossible factor to ignore” in any confrontation with Islamabad.

Tharoor elaborated that China’s stakes in Pakistan extend beyond military hardware. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the largest single project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), exemplifies Beijing’s deep-rooted strategic and economic partnership with Islamabad.

He emphasized that this partnership has significant implications for regional security and India’s strategic calculus. “Defence may be the wrong word here. Offence in many ways... China is an absolutely impossible factor to ignore in what has been our confrontation with Pakistan,” Tharoor stated.

Reflecting on recent events, Tharoor noted that India had witnessed a period of improving relations with China after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. However, the latest conflict with Pakistan, particularly during Operation Sindoor, revealed a marked shift in Beijing’s approach, with China offering practical and diplomatic support to Pakistan—including at the United Nations Security Council, where China reportedly helped Pakistan remove references to specific terror groups from official statements following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tharoor also highlighted the tactical challenges posed by Chinese military technology, such as integrated “kill chain” systems linking radar, GPS, aircraft, and missiles for rapid response. He noted that India had to adapt its strategies in real time to counter these Chinese-supplied systems, successfully targeting 11 Pakistani airfields and breaching advanced air defences during the conflict.

Despite these tensions, Tharoor reiterated India’s commitment to keeping diplomatic channels open, emphasizing ongoing trade and dialogue with China. He cautioned, however, that India would be “naïve not to be aware of these other currents,” referring to the deeper strategic undercurrents shaping the region.

Tharoor’s remarks highlight the transformation of China’s role in the India-Pakistan dynamic—from a supplier of defence equipment to a central, active player whose strategic, economic, and military support for Pakistan fundamentally alters the balance of power and complicates India’s security environment.

Agencies