New Delhi should be worried about Beijing's continued support to Islamabad, especially in terms of helping the Islamic country to build infrastructure in frontier regions, including underground bunkers and tunnels in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, an Indian Army veteran, and a geopolitical commentator, has said.
According to Lt. Colonel (Retd.) Jasinder Singh Sodhi, the closeness between China and Pakistan is a cause of worry for India as China is way ahead of India in cyber warfare, electromagnetic spectrum warfare, and space warfare.
"These three factors will play an important role in wars in the times ahead as the world is witnessing an Autonomous Revolution in which the weaponry will be totally autonomous with Artificial Intelligence being an important dimension," Sodhi told Sputnik on Friday.
China's Military Endeavors in Kashmir
The former Indian Army officer's remarks came amid apprehensions in New Delhi after reports emerged that China was providing heavy machinery and engineering experts to build tunnels for an all-weather road in Leepa Valley, located in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Besides, Beijing was allegedly helping Islamabad in constructing underground bunkers in the region.
Additionally, Indian officials have reportedly sighted a Chinese-built 155 mm truck-mounted howitzer gun that goes by the name of SH-15, at a few locations near the Line of Control (LoC), the de-facto border between the arch-foes in Kashmir, further raising concerns in New Delhi.
The SH-15 was first spotted in Islamabad's military arsenal during last year's Pakistan Day celebrations.
China Encircling India in South Asia
Sodhi also opined and explained that China is encircling India by building military bases in its immediate neighborhood.
"On 20 March 2023, China finished constructing a Submarine Naval Base in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. Thus, completing its plan to encircle India by the sea route as it already has control over Gwadar Port in Pakistan and Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka," Sodhi noted.
Also, since 2021 Pakistan Army officers have started getting posted to the Western Theatre Command of China, and China and Pakistan have a dedicated optical fiber line that gives China access to Pakistan's military networks.
"Thus, all the above pointers are pointing to massive military ties between China and Pakistan aimed at India," Sodhi stressed.
He argued that Pakistan has weaned away from the USA, and it's getting more inclined toward China as both Beijing and Islamabad have a common enemy -- India.
The China-Pakistan Strategic Nexus
On the other hand, Rup Narayan Das, a senior fellow at India's premier defense think tank, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, observed that the strategic nexus between China and Pakistan is nothing new.
He alluded that China has been arming Pakistan and strengthening its defense capability for some years now.
"With India making its intention clear to take over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the strategic nexus between China and Pakistan has acquired additional traction," Narayan said in a conversation with Sputnik.
He concluded by saying that growing strategic, security, and defense cooperation between India and the USA has also rattled both China and Pakistan. And, there is a possibility of a two-pronged attack from both China and Pakistan. India, however, can deter such threats.