Saturday, March 29, 2025
New Delhi, May 11, 2025:
Tensions flared late Saturday evening as Pakistan breached a ceasefire agreement reached just hours earlier with India. In a swift diplomatic development, China expressed full support for Islamabad, prompting serious concern in New Delhi over the timing and intent behind Beijing’s statement.
According to a statement from Pakistan’s foreign office, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi assured his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar that China “stands firmly” with Pakistan in defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence. The telephonic conversation came shortly after Indian security agencies reported repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).
Indian leaders including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi flagged drone sightings and unprovoked firing in border areas. These developments occurred mere hours after the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had agreed on a ceasefire mechanism.
India issued a strong official response: “For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations. We take very, very serious note of these violations,” the statement read.
The Indian government has called on Pakistan to act with “seriousness and responsibility” to prevent further escalation. “The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil and have been instructed to respond firmly to any repetition of border violations,” it added.
In parallel diplomatic outreach, Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar also held a conversation with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, updating him on the escalating regional situation following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which is believed to have triggered the current round of hostilities.
According to Pakistan’s official statement, China appreciated Islamabad’s “restraint” and reiterated its commitment as an “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partner” and “iron-clad friend.” Chinese support in the immediate aftermath of the ceasefire breach is being viewed with suspicion by Indian observers, especially considering its potential implications on regional peace and bilateral negotiations.
The incident underscores the fragile nature of the ceasefire understandings between the two nuclear-armed neighbors and the growing influence of third-party players like China in South Asian security dynamics.
