logo
How China Has Been Blocking India's UNSC Actions Since The 2000s

How China Has Been Blocking India's UNSC Actions Since The 2000s

NDTVa day ago

In the India-Pakistan strategic dynamic, China has emerged as an inextricable third actor, turning a bilateral rivalry into a triangular matter. While military escalation in the subcontinent does not align with Beijing's strategic interests, its pro-Pakistan leanings often manifest on international platforms. Most recently, China blocked the designation of The Resistance Front (TRF), an alleged offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), following the 2025 Pahalgam attack. This move reflects a longstanding pattern: China has consistently complicated New Delhi's diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan-based groups in global forums.
As India seeks broader consensus on counterterrorism designations, particularly at the UN Security Council (UNSC), China has frequently intervened by blocking or delaying the listing of individuals affiliated with anti-India groups such as LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). A 'technical hold' in the UNSC sanctions process allows a member state to indefinitely delay designation without a formal veto. For decades, China has exploited this to delay, if not deny, sanctions on Pakistan-linked terror architecture without triggering a diplomatic confrontation.
The symbolic framing of China-Pakistan relations, famously described by former Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani as 'higher than mountains, deeper than oceans, stronger than steel, and sweeter than honey", for now has translated into sustained strategic cover for Pakistan on the international stage. Chinese media's description of terrorism in India, such as the Pahalgam attack, as a case of 'shooting' by local gunmen against civilians, further supports the Pakistani narrative of the conflict.
'Technical Holds'
China's pattern of using 'technical holds' in the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee can be traced to the early 2000s. After the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, India began pushing for international sanctions against Pakistan-based outfits. While China supported the designation of groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, it remained reluctant to target individuals associated with these anti-India groups, most notably JeM chief Masood Azhar, who was finally listed in 2019. India's first formal request to enlist Azhar came in 2009, following the Mumbai attacks and was followed up in 2016, 2017, and 2019. While international pressure eventually influenced this reversal after two decades, the exclusion of any reference to the Pulwama attack in the final listing allowed China to maintain that Azhar's designation was based on his long-standing links to terrorism rather than a specific attack on India.
Over time, the Pathankot attack of 2016 and the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019 resulted in intensified Indian diplomatic efforts targeting Pakistan-based terrorist leaders and groups. All efforts were impeded by China's technical holds, despite co-sponsorship by France, the UK, and the US. At large, this trend continues. In 2023, Beijing blocked a joint India-US proposal to list Abdul Rauf Asghar and other anti-India terrorists.
Double Standards
This stands in contradiction to China's own counterterrorism posture against separatist and Islamist groups that threaten Chinese nationals and investments in Pakistan, including in major cities like Karachi. In 2021, a suicide bomber affiliated with the Baloch Liberation Army's (BLA) Majeed Brigade attacked a convoy carrying Chinese engineers and workers, killing three Chinese nationals near the Jinnah International Airport and the Chinese consulate area in Karachi. China has also raised similar concerns with the Taliban administration in Afghanistan regarding the alleged presence of Uyghur militant groups, such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). This antithetical approach serves dual purposes - mitigating pressure on Pakistan's influential military establishment while keeping India preoccupied with cross-border security challenges.
The SCO Factor
China's selective counter-terror posture also plays out in other multilateral groupings like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which remains a key arena for its regional influence. With India and Pakistan inducted as full members in 2017, China portrayed the bloc as a pan-Asia alternative to Western-led groupings. But India's strong stance against cross-border terrorism and leanings towards the QUAD bloc have complicated that narrative.
India's limited participation in the SCO, especially since 2019, is increasingly shaped by the grouping's silence on cross-border terrorism allegations against Pakistan. India's decision to downgrade its summit participation to a virtual format in 2023 further challenges China's efforts to position the SCO as a counterweight to US influence in the region. For China, India's continued engagement in the SCO remains crucial for maintaining the bloc's diplomatic credibility. India could continue framing Chinese obstructionism as a significant concern for global counterterrorism efforts with the aim of raising the reputational and diplomatic costs of China's inaction, without relying solely on the UNSC system.
India's widening engagement with QUAD, involving Australia, Japan, India, and the US, through military exercises and joint dialogues, will also keep China on edge by signalling a strengthened Indo-Pacific alliance countering the Chinese regional influence.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

We're not erratic or volatile, Germany reliable partner for Indian students: Ambassador Ackermann
We're not erratic or volatile, Germany reliable partner for Indian students: Ambassador Ackermann

Hindustan Times

time31 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

We're not erratic or volatile, Germany reliable partner for Indian students: Ambassador Ackermann

New Delhi, Germany has been a reliable partner for Indian students for a long time, and it is not "erratic" or "volatile" but very steady, Ambassador Philipp Ackermann said here on Tuesday, while asserting that his country wants the "smartest and the brightest" from India. His comments come in the backdrop of difficulties faced by international students, including from India, on matters related to academic admissions for higher studies in some countries, and student visa procedures. Interacting with reporters at his residence here, Ackermann said over 50,000 Indian students are currently in Germany pursuing higher studies, and "our experience is that number will rise". Without naming any country, the German envoy to India also indicated that more Indian students were likely to choose Germany as an academic destination, in view of the issues faced by them currently in the context of other countries. "In the light of... with student admissions and student visa procedures in some countries, it is maybe a good time to state that Germany is eager and happy to receive Indian students," he said in his opening remarks. He mentioned multiple times that his country has been a "reliable partner" for Indian students, and even added that "we don't check social media before you come". "We feel that Germany has been a reliable partner for Indian students for a long, long time. And, will remain so. We are interested in Indian talent, we are interested in Indian brains. We are interested in those Indians who really want to achieve something, and Germany will always be a partner for such people. So, we are not erratic, we are not volatile, we are very, very steady," Ackermann said. He also underlined that Germany offers first-class education, and those are willing to study hard to achieve it, are "welcome" and can "count on us". "And, we are eager on having talented young Indians coming to Germany," the envoy added. German universities and German research institutions have made "extremely good experiences" with students, and it has been seen that the number of Indian students is increasing every year in universities, and universities of applied sciences have also accepted a growing number of Indian students, the ambassador said. "We are talking about 50,000 plus Indian students in Germany, and our experience is that number will rise. We already now feel that more Indian students.. and that is certainly in the context of difficulty they face in other countries, and that more Indian students are interested to join German universities and German research institutions," the envoy said. Representatives of various top German universities such as Cologne University, University of Gottingen, Freie Universitaet Berlin, and research institute like the Max Planck Society and Fraunhofer were also present on the occasion. Later in an interaction with PTI Videos, the envoy said academic cooperation is a key pillar in the India-German bilateral ties. "We are searching Indian talent, and this is a time where many Indian students who had ideas to go elsewhere, now have second thoughts, and don't get where they really... wanted to go. So, what I am saying is, look at Germany, if you want a first class education, in many, many areas, above all in STEM area, German universities offer a broad range of possibilities, English-taught possibilities, with the clear perspective to join labour market in Germany after that," he said. "So, we have been a reliable partner for India in the last couple of decades... but what is important for me is to say that we want the smartest, the brightest from India," Ackermann told PTI. The envoy said the "offer is on the table", there is a clear growing interest. "Also, we want to encourage every student to individually search for universities, avoiding agents who will offer you a complete package, which sometimes is not a satisfaction," he said. Katja Lasch, Director, DAAD Regional Office, New Delhi, also interacted with the reporters. DAAD German Academic Exchange Service is marking its centenary this year, while its India office was set up 65 years ago. She said "applications to universities" have increased by over 30 per cent in the last couple of months, compared to the last academic year, citing data from DAAD. Lasch said there are about 425 universities, out of which there are 305 public universities. Germany has about 400,000 international students and it offers 2,300 study programmes in English language, she added. And, the country is among the top five destinations for Indian students along with the US, Canada, the UK, Australia. Ackermann said German education system is "widely a public good", which means most universities don't charge for studies and if they charge, the state-run universities, it's a small fee, compared to fees charged by universities in Anglo-Saxon countries. "So, its merit-based not money-based approach," he added. On a query on German visa issues, the envoy said, "There is no backlog anymore . Two years ago, we had a huge backlog.. we changed our system." Asked about the new citizenship rules by the German government, the ambassador clarified that "the government has not make a U-turn on citizenship, there was a very short way to citizenship within three years, this has been blocked now. Now, it is five years".

‘Terror chose Dharma, India chose Karma': Rajnath Singh on Pahalgam terror attack, Op Sindoor
‘Terror chose Dharma, India chose Karma': Rajnath Singh on Pahalgam terror attack, Op Sindoor

Hindustan Times

time31 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

‘Terror chose Dharma, India chose Karma': Rajnath Singh on Pahalgam terror attack, Op Sindoor

In a powerful message, defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that while the terrorists in Pahalgam targeted civilians on April 22 based on their religion, India hit back at the terrorists on the basis of their 'karm' (deeds). "Terrorists killed people in Pahalgam asking their religion; we didn't ask their 'dharm' but hit back seeing their karma," Rajnath Singh said at an event in Dehradun. Talking about India's defence strategy, Singh said under PM Modi's "bold and visionary" leadership, India's defence sector has transformed remarkably from a largely import-driven model to becoming a "trusted global exporter". "The world saw this change during the recent Operation Sindoor," Singh said. On April 22, terrorists found to have links with Pakistan opened fire at tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which resulted in the death of 26 people, mostly tourists. According to the victims, terrorists asked tourists about their religion and targeted only Hindu men. They reportedly asked women to go and narrate the ordeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In response, on May 7, India launched precision strikes under Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In retaliation, Pakistan attempted attacks on Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. India responded firmly to these actions. The hostilities on the ground ceased following talks between the directors general of military operations from both sides on May 10, resulting in an agreement to halt military actions. Earlier, Rajnath Singh said Pakistan should hand over UN-designated terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India if it is serious about talks between the two countries. In an interaction with naval warriors onboard aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off Goa, Singh said if Pakistan resorts to anything "evil or unethical" against India, it will face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy this time. Singh said "Operation Sindoor is not over yet and this is just a pause, a warning. If Pakistan makes the same mistake again, India's response will be even harsher, and this time, it will not get a chance to recover."

Espionage case: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra moves court, seeks regular bail
Espionage case: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra moves court, seeks regular bail

The Hindu

time32 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Espionage case: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra moves court, seeks regular bail

Social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra, arrested on suspicion of espionage last month, on Tuesday (June 10, 2025) sought regular bail from a local court, her lawyer said. Ms. Malhotra moved a regular bail plea before Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Sunil Kumar through her lawyer Kumar Mukesh. The court sought a reply from the police by June 11, he added. On Monday (June 9,2025), the court extended Mr. Malhotra's judicial custody and fixed her case's hearing on June 23. The 33-year-old YouTuber had appeared before the court through video-conferencing. Hisar Police arrested Ms. Malhotra on suspicion of espionage on May 16, and she was subsequently remanded to five days of police custody by the court. Following the completion of the remand, the court extended the custody by four more days after the police sought to question her further. On May 26, the court remanded her to judicial custody for 14 days. Ms. Malhotra, who hails from the city, ran a YouTube channel "Travel with JO". She was arrested at the New Aggarsain Extension and booked under provisions of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Hisar Police previously said no evidence had emerged to indicate Ms. Malhotra had access to any military — or defence-related information but claimed she was in contact with some people, aware that they were Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIO). Police sources had previously said she was in touch with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistani High Commission, since November 2023. India expelled Danish on May 13 for allegedly indulging in espionage. The police have claimed Pakistani intelligence operatives were developing Malhotra as an asset.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store