Pakistan’s Post Op Sindoor Arms Buildup Alarming, China Still Key Challenge: Navy Official

Mumbai, Nov 27: Pakistan’s rapid procurement of arms following Operation Sindoor is a growing security concern for India, even as China continues to pose an enduring strategic challenge, Vice Admiral K Swaminathan, Commander in Chief of the Western Naval Command, said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a security conference organised by the Bramha Research Foundation, the senior naval officer said Pakistan has aggressively intensified weapons purchases “from all around the world” since the May operation, showing “scant regard” for its severe economic crisis.

“Pakistan has been arming itself like never before after the operation, and that should worry the entire subcontinent,” he said.

China’s Expanding Naval Influence

Highlighting China’s increasing assertiveness, Vice Admiral Swaminathan noted that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has become the world’s largest navy, adding a fleet equivalent to the entire Indian Navy in just the last decade.

The commissioning of Fujian, China’s third aircraft carrier, along with the demonstration of fifth and sixth-generation fighter jets, forms part of Beijing’s “global strategic narrative,” he said.

“China worryingly continues to maintain five to eight ships in the Indian Ocean Region,” he cautioned. These include warships, satellite-tracking vessels, research ships and fishing fleets.

“China is not just more assertive in the South China Sea but also in the Indian Ocean Region. It will continue to be an enduring challenge,” he added.

Operation Sindoor: A Strategic Turning Point

Vice Admiral Swaminathan described Operation Sindoor—India’s punitive strikes on terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK, followed by attacks on multiple air bases as a major inflection point in Indo-Pak ties.

The operation was New Delhi’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which killed 26 people, most of them tourists.

The Vice Admiral said the operation marked a significant shift in India’s approach to Pakistan, demonstrating that nuclear blackmail or external backing would not deter India from launching decisive conventional missions.

“One of the stark realities the operation revealed was the open collusion between Pakistan and China,” he said. “What we assumed was covert became undeniably overt.”

He added that the emergence of Turkey as a key sponsor and supplier to Pakistan was another development that must be watched “very carefully.”

Joint Forces Displayed Multi-Domain Capability

Air Marshal Rakesh Sinha, Deputy Chief at the Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), speaking during a panel discussion, said Operation Sindoor showcased total synergy between the Army, Navy and Air Force.

While the Air Force delivered precision strikes with far-reaching operational impact, he said it was the joint planning and synchronised execution that “startled Pakistan.”

“India has delivered a clear message of a new normal  that any hostile action will invite a decisive response at a time and place of India’s choosing,” Air Marshal Sinha said.

He added that the operation displayed the Indian military’s ability to execute multi domain operations, enabled by strong airborne surveillance systems and effective drone deployment.