CDS Anil Chauhan flags China-Pakistan-Bangladesh collaboration as threat to India

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has cautioned that the growing convergence of interests between China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh could pose significant challenges for India. Speaking at an Observer Research Foundation (ORF) event, he pointed to economic distress in the Indian Ocean Region as a catalyst for increasing debt diplomacy, amid global shifts influenced by the United States.

Addressing recent border tensions during Operation Sindoor, General Chauhan noted that no unusual activities were observed along the China border. However, he admitted it was difficult to gauge the extent of Chinese state support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India.

“Pakistan relies heavily on China for weapons imports,” he said. “Chinese manufacturers have outstanding liabilities, so some Chinese personnel may be involved in servicing these obligations — a practice common worldwide. Chinese firms also engage in commercial satellite imagery, similar to US companies like Maxar and Planet Labs, making it difficult to distinguish state-sponsored support.”

On the nature of the conflict, General Chauhan said the operation disproved the long-held belief that nuclear weapons would deter conventional warfare. India’s targets during the operation focused primarily on terrorist infrastructure.

He also clarified that Operation Sindoor is currently paused, not concluded, and there remains the possibility of renewed conventional operations if necessary. He described the operation as “non-contact warfare.”