China Wades into Pahalgam Terror Attack Row, Siding with Pakistan Amid Rising India Tensions
In a move likely to raise further eyebrows in New Delhi, China has called for a "swift and fair investigation" into the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, while openly backing Pakistan&rsquo;s narrative. This comes even as fresh evidence, including the tracking of a satellite phone in the region, has led Indian authorities to suspect possible external involvement &mdash; potentially implicating actors beyond Pakistan.
According to Indian security officials, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has discovered movement of a Huawei-manufactured satellite phone &mdash; a brand banned in India over security concerns &mdash; in the Pahalgam area on the day of the attack. Investigators believe these satellite phones could have been smuggled from across the border, with early indications suggesting a sophisticated and transnational terror conspiracy.
Traditionally, New Delhi has firmly laid the blame for terrorist incidents on Pakistani soil, citing Islamabad&rsquo;s long record of supporting and sheltering militant groups. However, the possible footprint of Chinese-origin technology near the attack site introduces a new dimension to India&rsquo;s threat matrix.
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, which left 26 people dead, including 25 Indians and a Nepalese national, Pakistan moved swiftly to internationalise the issue. Islamabad formally requested that China, Russia, and several Western powers initiate an independent investigation into India&rsquo;s allegations of Pakistani involvement. China, keen to protect its "iron brother," responded promptly.
On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. As reported by Chinese state media, Wang expressed Beijing&rsquo;s support for a prompt and impartial probe and reiterated China's solidarity with Pakistan in "safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests."
Wang stressed that China was "closely following" the developments and underlined that terrorism must be countered collectively by the international community. He also urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and seek dialogue to de-escalate tensions. However, from India's perspective, such statements &mdash; while couched in the language of neutrality &mdash; are seen as heavily slanted towards Pakistan.
It is worth noting that China's call for restraint comes at a time when India, asserting its sovereignty, has taken a series of strong measures against Pakistan. New Delhi suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, closed the Wagah-Attari border, and halted the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals. Pakistani citizens currently in India were asked to leave within 48 hours.
Sources in New Delhi indicate that India is unlikely to entertain Pakistan&rsquo;s request to allow international teams, including possibly Chinese representatives, to join the Pahalgam investigation. India maintains that its domestic law enforcement agencies, particularly the NIA, are fully capable of conducting an independent and thorough inquiry. Any external involvement, particularly from nations perceived as partisan, would be unacceptable.
The discovery of the Huawei satellite phone has deepened suspicions about a more complex operation behind the Pahalgam attack. Indian intelligence agencies have long flagged concerns over the nexus between Pakistani intelligence and Chinese technology firms. Huawei, which has faced bans and restrictions in multiple countries over espionage fears, is seen by Indian officials as a potential tool for clandestine operations in sensitive regions like Jammu and Kashmir.
Investigations so far have ruled out the involvement of the four suspected militants whose photographs had circulated widely after the attack. Instead, focus has shifted to local overground workers who may have facilitated the attackers&rsquo; movements, and forensic teams are scrutinising entry and exit points around Pahalgam.
For India, China's public positioning &mdash; calling for impartial investigations while backing Pakistan's security concerns &mdash; fits into a broader pattern. Beijing has often shielded Islamabad diplomatically, including at the United Nations, where it repeatedly blocked efforts to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists.
As tensions simmer, Indian policymakers are increasingly viewing the China-Pakistan axis as a coordinated front to challenge India&rsquo;s internal security and regional standing. While calls for restraint and dialogue are made for international optics, India remains wary of any initiatives that undermine its sovereignty or seek to dilute its domestic legal processes.
In New Delhi&rsquo;s assessment, the Pahalgam attack &mdash; and the geopolitical jostling that has followed &mdash; is yet another reminder that the China-Pakistan nexus continues to pose one of the most enduring strategic challenges to Indian security.
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Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad  Ishaq Dar with his Chinese Counter Part Wang Yi (file photo)

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April 28, 2025 | 09:25 IST