As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan, China calls for calm without endorsing Islamabad; Tharoor notes Beijing’s shift signals India’s growing strategic weight.
May 9, 2025: Amid the growing military standoff between India and Pakistan, China has expressed concern over the unfolding situation but refrained from extending direct support to its traditional ally, Pakistan.
During a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing is “concerned over current developments” and urged both countries to maintain calm and exercise restraint. He underscored that India and Pakistan are not just neighbours to each other, but also China’s neighbours, adding, “We oppose all forms of terrorism.”
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Lin emphasized the need to “observe international law, including the UN Charter,” and called on both parties to avoid actions that could further escalate the situation. He stated that China was prepared to cooperate with the international community to “play a constructive role in easing the current tensions.”
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While China has historically backed Pakistan during previous India-Pakistan confrontations, its relatively neutral stance this time has drawn attention.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor pointed out that China’s tone is markedly less pro-Pakistan than expected. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said, “What China has said is suggestive that they are not oblivious to the warming of relations with India.”
“In a Trumpian world of high tariffs, India’s market matters more to China now,” Tharoor said. He speculated that while China may have backed Pakistan in the event of a full-scale war, it currently prefers to prevent one and will act more constructively.
Tharoor also noted that only a few countries—namely Russia, France, and Israel—have explicitly supported India’s right to self-defence in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor strikes on terror bases in Pakistan and PoK. “America, which strongly reacted post-9/11, has been more cautious this time,” he added.
China’s tempered response comes as the region remains on high alert, with border blackouts, military deployments, and a pause in civilian flights across several Indian airports. India’s Operation Sindoor has drawn wide geopolitical attention as New Delhi responds assertively to cross-border terror threats while managing international diplomatic optics.
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