China Gave Pakistan Satellite and Radar Support: Indian Defence Group
In a significant revelation that has raised eyebrows within Indian strategic circles, an Indian defence think tank has claimed that China provided satellite intelligence and radar support to Pakistan during the recent military tensions with India. The assertion was made by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), a New Delhi-based organisation backed by the Ministry of Defence.
China’s Strategic Support to Pakistan
According to CENJOWS Director General Lt Gen Ashok Kumar (Retd), China’s support extended beyond mere intelligence sharing. He alleged that Beijing helped Islamabad reorganise its radar grid and reposition its air defence systems to better track Indian troop movements and air activity during the conflict window earlier this month.
China is also said to have made adjustments in satellite coverage over India, thereby enhancing Pakistan’s real-time surveillance capabilities. This allowed Pakistan to redeploy air defence radars strategically and bolster its ability to respond to any potential aerial operations by Indian forces.
These claims suggest a level of operational support not previously disclosed during past Indo-Pak skirmishes and represent a deeper strategic entanglement between Beijing and Islamabad.
Implications for Regional Security
This alleged coordination marks a notable shift in regional power dynamics. While China has long been a supplier of military hardware to Pakistan, direct tactical support during an active conflict zone represents a new level of military synergy.
The revelation poses significant security concerns for India, especially as the Indian Armed Forces prepare for prolonged hostilities along both the western and northern frontiers. It also implies that Pakistan is not acting alone in its military posturing and may be leveraging its strategic relationship with China to fill gaps in ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities.
Although the Indian government has not yet commented on the CENJOWS report, the disclosures are likely to intensify calls for India to upgrade its satellite surveillance, radar infrastructure, and electronic warfare preparedness.
A Pattern of Deepening Military Ties
China and Pakistan’s defence relationship has evolved from arms transactions to joint exercises, co-production of platforms, and battlefield coordination. The most notable example is the JF-17 fighter aircraft program, but recent collaborations in space-based surveillance, cyber capabilities, and military logistics suggest a broadening alliance.
This instance of satellite and radar support fits into a wider framework of China’s efforts to counterbalance India in South Asia. It also points toward China’s intent to actively participate in shaping regional conflict outcomes, not just through diplomacy or economic leverage, but also via direct military involvement.
India will now have to factor this enhanced China-Pakistan coordination into its strategic calculus, especially as future conflicts may not remain strictly bilateral.
