Regionalisation of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict

The conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, historically rooted in disputes over the Durand Line, cross-border militancy and mutual mistrust, is increasingly acquiring a wider geopolitical dimension. China's growing diplomatic, military and economic engagement with Pakistan, alongside India's renewed ties with Afghanistan, has brought the longstanding tensions between Islamabad and Kabul into the broader strategic rivalry between Beijing and New Delhi.

Although neither China nor India created the conflict, both have significant interests in its outcome. Their involvement is reshaping regional calculations, complicating diplomatic efforts and raising the stakes of an already volatile relationship.

President congratulates Pakistan cricket team on tri-nation ODI series victory

China's involvement is closely tied to its longstanding strategic partnership with Pakistan. As Pakistan's largest trading partner and a major defence supplier, Beijing has invested heavily in the country's economic development, particularly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship component of its Belt and Road Initiative.