Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s August 18–22 swing through New Delhi and Islamabad featured warmer language and pledges in Pakistan than India, a diplomatic win for Pakistan.
Diplomatic win for Pakistan
In India both sides stressed “partners, not rivals,” but kept the focus on border stability including flight resumption and guarded next steps.
PM Narendra Modi urged “peace and tranquility” along the frontier.
Similarly, the Indian readouts were measured towards China.
In Islamabad, Wang Yi hailed Pakistan as an “unshakable” and “ironclad” friend.
Prioritising Pakistan in China’s neighbourhood diplomacy, and backed an upgraded CPEC “Version 2.0,” alongside security cooperation assurances.
Meetings covered the president, prime minister and foreign minister in a single day, signaling a full spectrum diplomacy from China.
What Beijing said and where
Chinese and Pakistani readouts spoke of accelerating CPEC projects and strengthening counterterror coordination.
By contrast, India’s brief emphasised boundary mechanisms and de-escalation language. The tonal split reinforces Pakistan’s standing as Beijing’s all-weather partner.
Context: after the May standoff
The visits come months after the May 2025 India-Pakistan crisis, when unprovoked Indian strikes prompted a brief and dangerous escalation.
Against that backdrop, Beijing’s public phrasing in Islamabad “unbreakable,” “prioritize Pakistan” and the full-spectrum meetings reinforced perceptions at home of a diplomatic win for Pakistan.
India’s messaging remained cautious, foregrounding border management and phased confidence building mechanisms.
What it means for Pakistan
For Pakistan, the concrete value lies in project traction and security coordination.
If CPEC 2.0 financing, Gwadar upgrades, and sectoral initiatives in mining, agriculture and IT move from communiqués to contracts, the dividends will be real.
Regionally, Islamabad benefits when major-power partners speak with warmth and commit to next steps on the record.
Delhi’s more guarded framing gives Pakistan room to underscore its “all-weather” status.
Former Diplomats suggests to track the SCO summit agenda, any CPEC project announcements, and further Wang–Dar working groups to monitor gained diplomatic win.
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