The latest military clash between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan reveals a dramatic shift in global alliances, with each nation now supported by different major powers in their weapons purchases.

India, once heavily dependent on Russian military equipment, has transformed its arms acquisition strategy in recent years. The country now buys significantly more weapons from Western nations, including the United States, France, and Israel. This shift reflects India’s growing strategic alignment with Western powers after decades of maintaining a nonaligned position in global politics. Between 2020-2024, Russia’s share of India’s weapons imports fell to just 36%, down from 75% during 2006-2010.

Pakistan has experienced an equally dramatic realignment in its military partnerships. Once a significant purchaser of American equipment, Pakistan now acquires 81% of its weapons from China, compared to just 36% between 2006-2010. The country’s importance to the United States diminished significantly after the end of the war in Afghanistan, prompting Islamabad to strengthen its military ties with Beijing. American and French arms sales to Pakistan have dropped to zero in recent years.

The changing pattern of weapons sales mirrors the broader geopolitical competition between the United States and China in Asia. As tensions escalate following India’s missile strikes against Pakistan, these new military relationships add an additional layer of uncertainty. During the last major confrontation between the countries in 2019, U.S. officials detected alarming movements in both nations’ nuclear arsenals, requiring urgent diplomatic intervention. Today’s crisis unfolds in an environment where three nuclear powers—India, Pakistan, and China—stand in increasingly complex and volatile proximity.

(CP) HONG KONG, CHINA – Reported by Liam Chen.