The conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, which has escalated again in recent days, gives China a unique chance to gather intelligence from a real combat environment - especially with regard to the Indian army, with which Beijing maintains a long-standing strategic rivalry, News.bg reports.
According to The New York Times and a number of military analysts, China has advanced technical means to monitor Indian actions in real time through its network of 267 satellites, of which 115 are specialized for intelligence and surveillance. Beijing is also using its naval forces in the Indian Ocean and bases along the border with India to monitor developments.
Of particular note is the report that a Pakistani J-10 fighter jet, made in China, has shot down at least two Indian aircraft, including a French Rafale - a fact that India has not confirmed. This provides China with an invaluable opportunity to analyze the effectiveness of its own weapons in real combat conditions, as well as the behavior of Indian air defense systems and missiles such as the BrahMos - a hypersonic missile jointly developed with Russia.
In parallel, China is increasing its maritime presence in the region, including through "research" and fishing vessels, which analysts say act as covert military intelligence posts. On May 1, more than 220 Chinese ships were spotted operating in a coordinated manner near Indian naval exercises in the Arabian Sea.
Although Beijing has not officially commented on the role of these ships or the possible sharing of intelligence with Pakistan, experts agree that military cooperation between China and Pakistan gives Beijing access to sensitive combat data that would be difficult to collect under normal circumstances. Analysts such as James Char of Singapore emphasize that Chinese military advisors and technical teams are constantly present in the Pakistani army, facilitating access to valuable information from the battlefield.
Against this backdrop, India has remained silent, but its top diplomat in London has stated that "China needs relationships with all its neighbors - including us". However, any active phase of the India-Pakistan clash gives China a strategic intelligence advantage in its rivalry with India - its largest neighbor and regional competitor.