New Delhi: Amid geopolitical tensions, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in China on Monday. This is Dar’s first international visit since Pakistan’s failed attack on India where Chinese missiles were used.
He has gone to participate in a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan. During his three day visit to Beijing Dar will first meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Afghanistan’s interim Foreign Minister Ameer Khan Muttaqi is also scheduled to arrive in China on May 20.
Speaking on the significance of Dar’s China visit, former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria said, “The visit can be viewed from two key perspectives - the recent conflict and the broader relationship dynamics.”
He said that firstly the recent India-Pakistan conflict revealed a collusive battlefield where 80% of the equipment used was Chinese. This situation highlighted a significant contest, showcasing failures in both offensive and defensive capabilities of the Chinese equipment during this battlefield test.
Today, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 arrived in Beijing on a three day official visit from 19-21 May 2025 . He was received at the airport by senior Chinese officials and Ambassador of Pakistan to China, Khalil Hashmi. pic.twitter.com/Q4GqAC3HI8
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 19, 2025
“Consequently, Pakistan, having faced a decisive defeat, is likely to seek additional military resources and modernize its existing arsenal to compete better with India in any future conflicts,” he said.
He underlined that on the economic front, Pakistan is increasingly anxious about the potential drying up of International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance due to stringent conditions, prompting it to seek more financial assistance from China which is Pakistan’s primary ally.
“This client state relationship will push Pakistan further into China's sphere as they will request enhanced military, economic and diplomatic support,” the former diplomat said. On China's involvement complicating India’s efforts to isolate Pakistan diplomatically, Bisaria said that China's role is not a recent development.
“We witnessed this back in 2019 when the global community sought to label Masood Azhar as a terrorist through the UN 1267 sanctions committee. China imposed a technical hold on this designation until the very last moment, lifting it only on March 1. This pattern of China shielding Pakistan's terrorism and providing diplomatic cover, especially within the UN, is well-established,” he underlined while assuring that it does not impact India's actions in any significant way.
“We are not attempting to sway China as it views Pakistan as a client state and will offer minimal support. However, China is also cognizant that overtly backing terrorism could expose it to international scrutiny, prompting it to tread carefully,” Bisaria added.
According to him India must consistently enhance its battlefield capabilities regardless of external factors. He said the recent experiences have imparted valuable lessons indicating that future collaborations between Pakistan and China could intensify.
He also expressed the view that India must prepare for not only a two front scenario with China but also a potential unified front when it comes to the need to accelerate military modernization in response to the Chinese technology deployed by Pakistan.
He was in favour of enhancing the country’s defence budget from the present 1.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) to at least 3 % to develop capabilities and acquire global platforms while ensuring readiness for future challenges including the possibility of a unified front. “India has emerged significantly stronger from the recent conflict with Pakistan demonstrating strategic resolve in combating terrorism,” he pointed out.
Stating that India has the strategic responsibility to manage these conflicts and prevent them from escalating into prolonged wars like those in Ukraine or Gaza, Bisaria asserted that as a rising global power with the fourth largest economy, soon to be the third, India possesses the capacity to grow into a global leader while effectively addressing its strategic challenges related to both China and Pakistan in a responsible manner.
From May 19 to 21, Dar and Yi are expected to discuss the changing situation in South Asia and its effects on peace and stability. They will also talk about their bilateral relationship and share opinions on global issues that concern them both.
Sources disclosed that discussions about the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan will be a key topic for both the countries. The leaders are likely to focus on enhancing trade and security cooperation, especially in sensitive areas like Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and Kashmir.
Indian had carried Operation Sindoor on May 7 killing more than 100 terrorists affiliated to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Indian Air Force had targeted nine terrorist locations across the border following the killing of 26 tourists by militants in Pahalgam in April.
Meanwhile former Indian ambassador KP Fabian was of the view that while Indian diplomacy has succeeded in isolating Pakistan to an extent the latter continues to get solid support from China and Turkey.
Ruling out a trilateral alliance, he said, “India has reached out to Taliban who have bad relations with Pakistan at present.” However, Dar would continue to get assurances from China.
Fabian referred to Chanakya’s theory and pointed out that for any country, one of its neighbours will treat it as a natural enemy. In India's case both Pakistan and China consider India as their natural enemy.
“China sees India as a rival in Asia and holds that India prevents it from becoming hegemony in Asia. In the case of Pakistan it is the military that projects India as a natural enemy in order to retain its control of the civilian government,” he asserted.
