Harshvardhan Mishra
In the shadows of South Asia’s security dynamics, a dangerous game is unfolding — and China is playing it with Pakistan as its willing pawn. Recent revelations by U.S. intelligence agencies, particularly the 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), expose Pakistan’s aggressive push to modernize its nuclear arsenal with significant and sustained help from China. Far from being a passive observer, China is actively shaping a new arms race in the Indian subcontinent — a move aimed squarely at undermining India’s strategic superiority.
Pakistan’s Nuclear Ambitions: Not Just Deterrence, But Escalation
Pakistan has historically used its nuclear program as a tool for deterrence against India. However, the latest assessments indicate that Islamabad is no longer satisfied with merely deterring aggression. Instead, it is preparing for more flexible, aggressive nuclear posturing, including tactical nuclear weapons that could be deployed in battlefield scenarios. These developments suggest a significant shift in Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine — from “minimum deterrence” to “full spectrum deterrence,” a euphemism for expanding both quantity and quality of its nuclear options.
But how is this possible for a country facing internal economic collapse, IMF bailouts, and spiraling political instability? The answer lies in Beijing’s behind-the-scenes involvement.
China’s Role: Silent Partner in Strategic Destabilization
China’s so-called “all-weather friendship” with Pakistan is no secret. What is increasingly clear, however, is how China uses this partnership to undermine India’s regional influence while maintaining plausible deniability on the international stage. Intelligence reports confirm that China has supplied Pakistan with sensitive nuclear materials, technology, missile blueprints, and even helped build nuclear reactors — all under the radar of global non-proliferation watchdogs.
This covert supply chain allows Pakistan to sidestep international restrictions, such as those enforced by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). China itself is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), yet it continues to exploit legal loopholes and bilateral deals to arm Pakistan — a country that has not signed the NPT.
Make no mistake: China’s objective is not merely to support an ally. It is to pin India down with a two-front threat — a nuclear-armed Pakistan in the west and an increasingly aggressive PLA (People’s Liberation Army) on the northern borders.
The CPEC Connection: Economic Aid with Military Ends
While the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is often showcased as a massive infrastructure and trade initiative, it has a darker dimension. Behind roads and ports lies a military-motivated infrastructure expansion. The Gwadar Port, for example, has potential dual-use applications — commercial by day, military by design. Chinese funds are not just building highways and power plants, but also helping Pakistan upgrade command and control centers for its missile systems, radar surveillance networks, and hardened underground nuclear bunkers.
This is not economic aid — it’s strategic engineering aimed at turning Pakistan into a proxy nuclear fortress against India.
China’s Double Standards: Nuclear Hypocrisy on Global Stage
Ironically, China continues to position itself as a proponent of global peace and disarmament at international forums. It calls for non-proliferation in Korea, criticizes the AUKUS pact, and opposes India’s bid to enter the NSG. Yet, it has quietly fueled the nuclear ambitions of its closest ally, contributing to regional instability and increasing the risk of nuclear escalation in South Asia.
The world cannot ignore that the same China which refuses to endorse India’s entry into international nuclear regimes continues to embolden Pakistan’s nuclear brinkmanship with complete impunity.
India’s Response: Strategic Restraint Coupled with Technological Superiority
Unlike its neighbors, India continues to uphold global norms and follows a ‘No First Use’ (NFU) nuclear doctrine. However, New Delhi is not complacent. India is rapidly enhancing its second-strike capabilities through submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), nuclear-powered submarines like INS Arihant, and ballistic missile defense (BMD) shields.
India’s space-based surveillance, AI-powered command systems, and development of long-range missiles like Agni-VI ensure that it maintains strategic superiority over both Pakistan and China — not just in nuclear weapons, but in intelligence, surveillance, and defense automation.
India is also strengthening its diplomatic relationships with Quad partners (U.S., Japan, Australia), France, and Israel to counterbalance China’s strategic misadventures and to diplomatically isolate Pakistan in the global arena.
Conclusion: South Asia’s Fragile Balance Under Threat
The collusion between China and Pakistan in nuclear proliferation is not just a regional issue — it is a global threat. By deliberately supporting Pakistan’s nuclear modernization, China is playing a dirty and dangerous game of chess where the pawns are armed with weapons of mass destruction. Their objective is clear — trap India in a perpetual security crisis.
But India, with its strategic patience, robust economy, and technological innovation, is far from cornered. The real question now is whether the international community will wake up to China’s duplicity and take action — or continue to remain silent as South Asia inches closer to the brink of a nuclear standoff.
