STOCKHOLM– A growing China-Pakistan technological alliance is transforming the security environment in Jammu and Kashmir, equipping terrorist groups with sophisticated, military-grade communication and surveillance systems, according to a new report. Once reliant on conventional insurgency tactics, militants are now leveraging advanced digital warfare tools, shifting the dynamics of cross-border militancy.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s 2025 report found that China accounted for 81 percent of Pakistan’s arms imports between 2019 and 2023, valued at roughly $5.28 billion. This strategic partnership extends well beyond traditional weapons, encompassing dual-use technologies that have reached terrorist arsenals in Kashmir, the European Times reported.
The April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam highlighted the extent of this technological infiltration. Security forces recovered Huawei satellite phones, Chinese-made GPS devices, body cameras, and encrypted communications gear from the site. These seizures reflected a shift from low-tech militant operations to coordinated, technology-enabled warfare drawing on Chinese infrastructure and expertise.
According to the report, advanced network architecture allowed terrorists to coordinate in real time while keeping their communications secure. During Operation Mahadev, Indian forces tracked militants using signals from a Chinese satellite phone activated in the Baisaran area. The subsequent elimination of three Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives — including the alleged mastermind of the Pahalgam attack — underscored both the capabilities and vulnerabilities of such technology when effectively countered.
China’s involvement goes beyond supplying hardware. Through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, telecom towers operated by China Mobile Pakistan (Zong) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have extended digital coverage into Indian districts including Kupwara, Rajouri, Poonch, and Uri. This network, the report said, provides multiple layers of operational support for militant activities.
The study also noted that China’s provision of advanced communications, surveillance systems, and weapons technology enables Pakistan to deny direct involvement while escalating the lethality of terrorist operations.
“The entrenchment of Chinese technology in Kashmir’s militant ecosystem represents more than a tactical evolution; it is a strategic challenge to Indian sovereignty and regional stability. The China-Pakistan nexus has created a sophisticated support system that enhances terrorist capabilities while maintaining plausible deniability for state sponsors,” the report concluded. (Source: IANS)
