Asim Munir hosts China's PLA at GHQ Rawalpindi: Why India must closely watch Pakistan’s double game

In a move loaded with symbolism and strategy, Pakistan hosted the 98th anniversary celebrations of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Friday -- a rare gesture that lays bare the growing military synergy between Beijing and Islamabad.

The presence of Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong as the chief guest at the heart of Pakistan’s military nerve centre made it clear that it was no routine diplomatic gesture. It was a deliberate, institutional assertion of where Pakistan’s loyalties are increasingly anchored -- with China.

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, left no ambiguity. Calling the PLA and Pakistan Army “true brothers-in-arms” built on “unshakable trust,” he praised China’s military and national development model, echoing the PLA’s propaganda more fervently than ever.

But while Islamabad drapes itself in the Chinese flag at home, it continues courting the United States behind closed doors. Intelligence sources speaking to CNN-News18 confirmed that Pakistan is desperately trying to walk a tightrope between two rival superpowers -- securing financial and military largesse from both Beijing and Washington, while playing chameleon across geostrategic theatres.

Pakistan’s desperate balancing act between China and US

For all the chest-thumping with China at GHQ, Pakistan’s relationship with the US is far from over. According to the sources cited by CNN-News18, Pakistan continues to play both sides by presenting itself to China as the guarantor of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), while simultaneously projecting itself to the US as a vital partner in “Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Balochistan.”

To appease China, Islamabad has cracked down on select Baloch insurgent groups threatening CPEC infrastructure, particularly in Gwadar and southern Balochistan.

To please Washington, it has rebranded major terror groups like Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Milli Muslim League into so-called charities or political outfits, while conducting “controlled” counterterror operations in Pashtun and Baloch regions.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has covertly nurtured proxy networks in Afghanistan and Kashmir. These are assets it can dial up or down depending on which ally it needs to impress

“Military assistance, including surveillance systems, drones, and tactical support, continues to arrive from both China and the US, helping Pakistan maintain this dual strategy,” a senior intelligence source told CNN-News18.

Why this should alarm India

New Delhi has every reason to be wary. For India, Pakistan’s Janus-faced diplomacy poses not just a security concern but a long-term strategic threat.

First, the overt military celebration of China at GHQ is an alarming signal that the PLA-Pakistan Army alliance is no longer confined to cooperation. Rather, it’s evolving into operational coordination. The PLA is increasingly looking at Pakistan not just as a partner, but as a proxy foothold in South Asia, particularly in the context of India's border disputes and regional assertiveness.

Second, Pakistan’s continued ability to extract military aid and intelligence-sharing from the US, despite hosting terror networks that target American troops in Afghanistan and Indian civilians in Kashmir, is a testament to how effectively Islamabad manipulates its geopolitical position.

This has implications for India on multiple fronts:

Counterterrorism: Pakistan’s cosmetic crackdowns and terror group rebranding mean India's security agencies face increasingly opaque threats, especially from “new” outfits that are merely recycled versions of Lashkar or Jaish.

Regional stability: The dual patronage from China and the US allows Pakistan to fund and protect strategic depth in Afghanistan and Kashmir, undermining Indian diplomatic and military gains.

CPEC militarisation: With the PLA gaining greater access to Pakistani ports, infrastructure, and even intelligence systems, India faces the prospect of a more entrenched Chinese presence right on its western border.

Worse still, China and Pakistan’s deepening military embrace at GHQ coincides with India facing increasing pressure from the US, including 25% tariffs and threats over its Russia ties. It creates the bitter irony where Washington penalises New Delhi, even as Islamabad -- with both Chinese and American backing -- continues to fund, shield, and export cross-border terrorism.