The ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan, particularly around the Kashmir region, has opened up a significant intelligence-gathering opportunity for China, as it closely observes Pakistan’s use of Chinese-made weapons against a mutual strategic rival.
According to security experts and diplomats, China’s modernized military infrastructure, including its satellite networks and maritime capabilities, allows it to monitor Indian military activities in real time—from the Himalayan borders to the Indian Ocean. This is particularly beneficial in the current conflict, where China’s ally, Pakistan, has deployed Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets in combat against Indian forces.
U.S. officials recently stated that a Pakistani J-10 successfully downed two Indian aircraft, including a French-made Rafale. While India has not confirmed any aircraft losses, Pakistan’s leadership has acknowledged using J-10s without specifying the weapons involved.
Military analysts see this situation as a rare chance for global powers to study real-time performance of combat jets, missiles, and command systems. For China, this real-world data could be invaluable in refining its own military strategies and technological advancements.
India and China have long been strategic adversaries, sharing a disputed 3,800-km (2,400-mile) border that has led to past skirmishes and a brief war in 1962. Although tensions cooled somewhat after a 2020 standoff, both nations have continued to bolster their military positions.
China’s technological edge in surveillance is apparent. The International Institute for Strategic Studies reports that China operates 267 satellites, with over 100 dedicated to military intelligence. These numbers outpace India’s capabilities and trail only behind the United States.
Despite no official comment from China’s defense ministry, analysts believe Beijing is actively collecting data not just from space, but also at sea. Open-source intelligence has tracked Chinese fishing fleets—often believed to double as surveillance units—approaching within 120 nautical miles of Indian naval exercises in the Arabian Sea.
Pakistan, which has a deep military partnership with China, may also be sharing intelligence. China has long supplied Pakistan with advanced weapons systems and military advisers. Observers say it is likely that Chinese operatives in Pakistan are gaining firsthand insights into Indian defense strategies.
James Char, a Chinese security expert from Singapore, emphasized that China’s access to Pakistan’s battlefield data enhances its understanding of India’s combat systems, including any potential use of the BrahMos cruise missile, a joint Indo-Russian project that has not yet been used in warfare.
India has refrained from commenting on China’s involvement, but its High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, downplayed concerns, stating that China needs balanced relations with all its neighbors, including India.
As regional tensions continue, China appears to be seizing every chance to enhance its military intelligence, reinforcing its long-term strategic posture against India.