Pakistan still regards India as an existential threat and is developing its military capabilities in response to India’s conventional military advantage, as per the latest World Threat Assessment report of the US Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), published on Sunday.
Pakistan Bolsters Military to Counter India’s Advantage
The DIA report states, “Pakistan regards India as an existential threat and will continue to pursue its military modernization effort, including the development of battlefield nuclear weapons, to offset India’s conventional military advantage.”
This effort includes a push to modernise its nuclear forces while ensuring the safety and control of its nuclear assets.
Pakistan modernizes its nuclear force and sustains the security of its nuclear materials and nuclear command and control. Pakistan most likely obtains WMD (weapons of mass destruction) relevant goods from foreign suppliers and intermediaries,” the report observed.
Deep Dependence on China for Economic and Military Assistance
The report also points out Pakistan‘s reliance on China for military and economic assistance. The two countries hold a number of joint military exercises every year, further strengthening their strategic ties.
“Pakistan mainly is a beneficiary of China’s economic and military generosity, and Pakistani military holds multiple combined military exercises every year with China’s PLA including a fresh air exercise just concluded in November 2024,” the report said.
It also uncovered that most of the foreign equipment and technology supporting Pakistan’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes is imported primarily from Chinese suppliers. The materials are also frequently channeled through countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, and the UAE.
Strains Emerge Over Attacks on Chinese Workers
In spite of the close military relationships, the US intelligence report indicates increasing tensions between China and Pakistan as a result of the ongoing terrorist attacks against Chinese nationals engaged in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
“Yet, attacks on Chinese workers facilitating China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects has been a source of tension between the two nations; seven Chinese citizens were assassinated in Pakistan in 2024,” the report added.
These attacks have tested the bilateral relationship to the extent of eliciting concern over the safety of Chinese investments and nationals in Pakistan while the strategic partnership remains unbroken.
