Indian Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rahul Singh stated on Friday that the Chinese Communist Party provided “real-time intelligence” to Pakistan during the border conflict between India and Pakistan in May, assisting them in targeting key Indian military objectives. Singh urged India to quickly upgrade its air defense systems to respond to the threat.
This conflict was the most intense in decades between India and Pakistan, lasting four days, with both sides using missiles, drones, and artillery. The trigger was an attack on Indian Hindu pilgrims in Indian-controlled Kashmir. New Delhi accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack, while Pakistan denied it. The two sides eventually reached a ceasefire in May.
According to Reuters, Singh, speaking at a defense industry conference in New Delhi, pointed out that India was effectively fighting two adversaries simultaneously, with “Pakistan charging at the frontlines of the conflict and China providing all possible support.”
He revealed that during military operations director-general-level talks between India and Pakistan, the Pakistani side could access real-time intelligence on certain Indian troop movements, “this intelligence was provided by China.” However, he did not specify how India obtained evidence of Chinese intervention.
The Chinese Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministries, as well as the Pakistani military, have not responded to these claims.
India had previously stated that while Pakistan has close relations with China, there was no direct evidence of Beijing’s assistance in this conflict. The Indian Chief of Defense Staff had mentioned that satellite images or real-time intelligence support could have been acquired through commercial sources, not ruling out it coming from China or elsewhere.
Beijing welcomed the India-Pakistan ceasefire in May and continued to provide investment and financial assistance to Pakistan. Following the ceasefire, during a meeting between the Chinese Foreign Minister and the Pakistani Foreign Minister, China pledged to support Pakistan in maintaining its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Singh also pointed out that Turkey had provided crucial support to Pakistan, including drones and training personnel. Turkey openly supported Pakistan during the conflict, prompting a backlash in Indian society calling for a boycott of Turkish products and tourism. Turkey has not responded to these developments.