Pakistan views India as existential threat, 'almost certainly' procures goods meant for weapons of mass destruction: US intel report

Pakistan considers India as an existential threat and hence seeks economic and military backing from China to modernise its nuclear arsenal, reveals a report released by the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The agency is part of the US Department of Defense.

The World Threat Assessment report released on Sunday said India, on the other hand, regards China as its primary adversary while Pakistan is viewed as more of an "ancillary security problem" even despite the recent conflict in May.

The report said Pakistan "almost certainly procures WMD (weapons of mass destruction) applicable goods from foreign suppliers and intermediaries", adding that these goods and technology to support Pakistan’s WMD programs are "very likely" acquired China or transported via Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, and the UAE.

But it pointed out that the terrorist attacks targeting Chinese citizens working for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has sparked tensions between the two sides. At least seven Chinese workers were killed in Pakistan last year.

Pakistan's military will continue to focus on skirmishes with its neighbouring countries besides the insurgency by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Balochistan militants, said the report. Recently, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army are Indian proxies. However, India has dismissed these allegations, pointing out how Islamabad is trying to divert global attention from its own support for terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Talking about India, the US intel report said the country is focusing on bilateral defence ties in the Indian Ocean region to counter China. India will continue its economic and defence ties with Russia in a bid to offset the deepning relations between Moscow and Beijing.  

World