US report says Pakistan regards India as existential threat

Pakistan regards India as an existential threat and will continue to pursue its military modernisation effort, including the development of battlefield nuclear weapons, to offset India’s conventional military advantage, says the US Defence Intelligence Agency in its threat assessment report for 2025.

The report was published amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the terror attack in Pahalgam town on April 22 that left 26 people, mostly non-Muslim tourists, killed, triggering worldwide condemnation.

India responded to the incident with Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror hubs located in PoK and Pakistan.

Pakistan targeted several Indian cities by firing missiles and drones following the Operation Sindoor, which the Indian Armed Forces neutralised.

Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal

The US report further said Pakistan is modernising its nuclear arsenal and maintaining the security of its nuclear materials and nuclear command and control.

Chinese factor

The report said: “Pakistan primarily is a recipient of China’s economic and military largesse, and Pakistani forces conduct multiple combined military exercises every year with China’s PLA, including a new air exercise completed in November 2024.”

“Foreign materials and technology supporting Pakistan’s WMD programs are very likely acquired primarily from suppliers in China, and sometimes are transshipped through Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates,” it said.

The report said terrorist attacks targeting Chinese workers who support China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects have emerged as a point of friction between the countries.

In a terror attack, seven Chinese nationals died in Pakistan in 2024.

India mentioned in report

The report mentioned India and said Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s defense priorities will probably focus on demonstrating global leadership, countering China, and enhancing New Dehli’s military power.

“India views China as its primary adversary and Pakistan more an ancillary security problem to be managed, despite cross-border attacks in mid-May by both India’s and Pakistan’s militaries,” the report said.

Referring to the April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir, the picturesque Himalayan Union Territory that attracts a large number of tourists aross the year, the report said: “Following a late April terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi conducted missile strikes on terrorism-related infrastructure facilities in Pakistan.”

“The missile strike provoked multiple rounds of missile, drone, and loitering munition attacks, and heavy artillery fire, by both militaries from 7 to 10 May. As of 10 May, both militaries had agreed to a full ceasefire,” the report said.

The report said to counter Chinese influence and boost its global leadership role, India is giving priority to advancing its bilateral defence partnerships in the Indian Ocean region through exercises, training, arms sales, and information sharing.

“India also has increased trilateral engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and actively participates in multilateral fora such as the Quadrilateral, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and ASEAN,” the report said.

The report said India will continue promoting its “Made in India” initiative this year to build its domestic defence industry, mitigate supply chain concerns, and modernise its military.