India views China, not Pakistan, as primary adversary: US report
Despite the India-Pak skirmish earlier this month, New Delhi views China as it ‘primary adversary’ and sees Pakistan as an ‘ancillary’ security problem, says the latest assessment report of the US Defense Intelligence Agency.
The report called ‘worldwide threat assessment’, released today, takes into account all global developments till May 11. It says Pakistan regards India as an ‘existential threat’ and will continue development of battlefield nuclear weapons, to offset India’s conventional military advantage. It states that Pakistan’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes are likely acquired primarily from suppliers in China, and sometimes are trans-shipped through Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey and the UAE.
On the India-China relations, the US report says — Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s priorities will probably focus on demonstrating global leadership, countering China and enhancing New Dehli’s military power. India views China as its primary adversary and Pakistan more an ancillary security problem to be managed, despite cross-border attacks in mid-May by both India’s and Pakistan’s militaries, it added.
It goes on to warn that the ongoing tensions along India and China’s Line of Actual Control (LAC) border demarcation are capable of escalating quickly. In late October 2024, India and China reached an agreement to move forces away from the two remaining contested positions along the disputed LAC in eastern Ladakh.
India continued to modernise its military in 2024 to bolster its ability to deter adversaries after it commissioned the second nuclear-powered submarine (INS Arighaat) that is capable of firing a nuclear missile while operating under the sea.
On the Pakistan-China nexus, the US report says — Pakistan primarily is a recipient of China’s economic and military largesse, it said while adding that terrorist activity in Afghanistan and Pakistan will challenge military and security forces.
On China’s growing abilities, the US report says that Beijing continues its state-led drive to dominate critical advanced technology fields and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is striving to integrate advanced technologies to enhance its forces and field disruptive military capabilities.
China also sponsors researchers and scientists who illicitly acquire intellectual property innovated by US Department of Defense funded research programme, the report added.
The country continues to pour resources into securing its supply chain and developing domestic high-end microelectronics manufacturing capabilities. Also Beijing and Russia are aggressively pursuing new systems, such as hypersonic glide vehicles. China’s nuclear warhead stockpile probably has surpassed 600 operational nuclear warheads.
It is estimate that China will have more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030—much of which will be deployed at higher readiness levels for faster response times, the report stated.
China possesses more than 1,000 satellites, including about 500 remote-sensing and surveillance satellites, second only to the US. Significant Chinese resources are to ensure its ability to disrupt, damage and destroy adversary space capabilities.
The PLA has operational anti-satellite missiles intended to target satellites in low earth orbit. The nation has also developed a variety of electronic warfare systems dedicated to denying an adversary’s satellite communications and Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities during conflict.
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