Pakistan has officially endorsed China's assertion that it played a mediating role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan during their military confrontation in May 2025. The conflict followed India's Operation Sindoor, leading to a period of intense crisis. This endorsement directly contradicts India's consistent position that no foreign power was involved in resolving the standoff.
Pakistan's Statement Backing Beijing
On January 3, 2026, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, stated that Beijing maintained constant communication with Islamabad throughout the crisis. Andrabi revealed that Chinese officials also engaged with Indian leadership during the peak days of the confrontation. He characterized these diplomatic exchanges as positive and constructive, lending formal support to China's earlier claims of facilitation.
China's Claim and India's Firm Rejection
Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had listed the India-Pakistan standoff as an example where Beijing actively promoted peace through dialogue. However, India has repeatedly and categorically denied any such third-party intervention. Citing official sources, Indian media reports have consistently reiterated New Delhi's stance that the de-escalation was achieved purely through direct bilateral channels between India and Pakistan, without any external mediation.
The Core of the Dispute
The public divergence highlights the differing narratives surrounding a sensitive national security episode for India. While Pakistan and China present a version of multilateral diplomacy, India underscores its sovereign prerogative to handle bilateral disputes directly. The incident underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region, where claims of diplomatic influence often become part of larger strategic posturing. The Indian position remains unwavering in its assertion that the path to reduced tensions was forged solely by decisions taken in New Delhi and Islamabad.
