China has claimed a mediating role in the recent India-Pakistan military confrontation, following similar assertions by US President Donald Trump.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made these remarks at a symposium on international relations, stating that Beijing addressed both symptoms and root causes in various global hotspots, including the tensions between India and Pakistan.

The conflict stemmed from a terror attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam valley, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians, mostly Hindu tourists, lost their lives. The Resistance Front, linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility before retracting it, amid Pakistani allegations of a false flag operation by India.

India responded on 7 May with Operation Sindoor, launching precision missile and air strikes on nine terrorist camps associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. New Delhi emphasised that the strikes avoided military or civilian targets, describing them as focused and non-escalatory, while claiming over 100 militants killed.

Pakistan condemned the action as an act of war, reporting civilian casualties including in mosques, and retaliated with artillery shelling along the Line of Control, particularly in Poonch, killing Indian civilians and damaging infrastructure. This sparked the first drone battle between the nuclear-armed neighbours, with Pakistan launching Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos targeting Indian air bases.

Aerial engagements involved over 114 aircraft in beyond-visual-range combat, with Pakistan claiming to have downed several Indian jets including Rafales using J-10 fighters and PL-15 missiles. Independent assessments confirmed at least four Indian losses, marking the combat debut of advanced Chinese weaponry, while India acknowledged losses as part of combat without specifics.

Escalation peaked on 10 May with mutual missile strikes on air bases—India targeting Nur Khan, Rafiqui, and others; Pakistan hitting Udhampur, Pathankot, and Adampur. India deployed BrahMos missiles and loitering munitions, damaging Pakistani radars and hangars, while Pakistan used JF-17s and drones, amid cyber intrusions reported on both sides.

A ceasefire took effect on 10 May at 17:00 IST following direct DGMO hotline talks, with both sides claiming victory. India insisted on bilateral resolution, rejecting third-party involvement, while Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif credited multiple nations including the US, Saudi Arabia, and China.

Trump repeatedly claimed he averted war, citing threats of 200% tariffs and stating seven Indian planes were shot down, a narrative India dismissed as baseless. His administration, via JD Vance and Marco Rubio, engaged both sides amid nuclear fears near Pakistan's Strategic Plans Division headquarters.

Wang Yi's intervention claim renews scrutiny of China's role, given its status as Pakistan's primary arms supplier and close ties. Beijing urged restraint on 7 May, expressing regret over India's strikes, while improving India ties were noted via an SCO summit invitation to Narendra Modi.

A November US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report accused China of a disinformation campaign post-Operation Sindoor, using AI-generated debris images on fake accounts to discredit French Rafales and promote J-35 jets. This aligns with concerns over Beijing's grey-zone tactics amid the aerial losses.

Casualties included 21 Indian civilians and eight military/paramilitary personnel, mostly from shelling, plus one airman at Udhampur. Pakistan reported 40 civilians and 13 military deaths from strikes, denying militant presence at targeted sites.

The four-day clash highlighted advanced drone warfare, S-400 intercepts, and missile duels, with no nuclear escalation despite US alarms. Ceasefire holds, with normalised flights, but mediation claims underscore competing narratives in South Asian geopolitics.

Based On ANI Report