Following the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, on April 22, where 26 innocent people, mostly tourists, lost their lives, tensions between India and Pakistan have naturally increased. In the midst of this, China has started engaging diplomatically—particularly with Pakistan—to address the situation. However, from an Indian perspective, these efforts are being watched with caution and a sense of realism.
The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, where they discussed the current India-Pakistan tensions. Jiang repeated China’s usual line—urging both countries to show restraint and resolve differences peacefully. He expressed China’s understanding of Pakistan’s security concerns and supported Islamabad’s efforts to protect its national sovereignty.
While China is publicly calling for peace and calm in South Asia, its engagement has so far been visibly one-sided, focusing primarily on Pakistan. Prime Minister Sharif, during his meeting with Jiang, thanked China for its “constructive” role and promised to continue coordination with all parties. However, there is no indication yet that China has reached out directly to India or condemned Pakistan-backed terrorism in clear terms.
Earlier, on April 27, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also spoke to China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to brief him about the situation. Wang Yi said that terrorism is a global issue and called for a fair investigation into the Pahalgam incident. But again, China stopped short of naming the source of the attack or openly calling out terror groups operating from Pakistani soil.
On April 28, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that China welcomes any move to reduce tensions and supports a fair probe. He added that both India and Pakistan are important for South Asia’s peace and development.
From India’s point of view, while peace and dialogue are always welcome, there is growing concern that China’s statements lack balance. Despite being a close strategic ally of Pakistan, China has not taken a firm stance against cross-border terrorism, which remains India’s core issue. Without addressing the root cause—the presence of terror networks in Pakistan—mere appeals for “restraint” sound diplomatic but ineffective.
India has always stood for peace in the region, but not at the cost of its sovereignty or civilian safety. China’s role, if it genuinely aims for stability, must go beyond just balancing ties and should involve clear and strong support for action against terrorism. Until then, India will continue to handle its security challenges firmly, while keeping a close watch on such international engagements.
