As global corporations pivot away from China amid rising tariffs and geopolitical tensions, a troubling pattern has emerged—one that links strategic economic shifts with surging violence in South Asia. With Apple accelerating plans to shift the majority of U.S.-bound iPhone production to India by 2026, intelligence circles are abuzz with speculation: Is Beijing covertly encouraging Pakistan to escalate hostilities with India in a bid to destabilize its fast-rising rival?
On April 22, a deadly terrorist attack shook the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in Kashmir, killing 26 and injuring scores more. The strike, traced to Pakistan-backed militants from the Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot “The Resistance Front,” occurred just days before a Reuters report confirmed Apple’s aggressive expansion in India—charting a path to move 60+ million iPhone units annually out of Chinese assembly lines and into Indian factories.
Though China has made no official statement regarding Apple’s relocation, its actions speak louder. U.S. and Indian sources told The Information and Reuters that Chinese authorities are now actively blocking or delaying exports of critical iPhone manufacturing equipment bound for India. Approval windows have reportedly ballooned from 2 weeks to 4 months. In some cases, suppliers have been forced to reroute equipment through third countries like Vietnam or Malaysia to bypass Beijing’s restrictions.
“China is trying to quietly strangle Apple’s India plans in the crib,” said a former Indian intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity. “The timing of the Pahalgam attack cannot be ignored—especially as Pakistan’s hand in the assault is now undeniable. This smells of coordinated coercion.”
Sources within India’s National Security Council suggest that Beijing, cornered by trade pressures from the U.S., could be using Pakistan as a proxy destabilizer. India, which has already emerged as a semiconductor packaging center and is now a contender for top-tier electronics manufacturing, poses a long-term strategic threat to China’s dominance in global supply chains.
“It’s classic asymmetric warfare,” said defense analyst Lt. Gen. (Retd) Ramesh Gokhale. “Beijing won’t send tanks across Arunachal. But will it fund and empower Islamabad to keep India distracted with cross-border terrorism? Absolutely.”
Meanwhile, India has responded militarily. On April 25, Operation Sindoor—a swift cross-border precision strike—targeted terror launchpads near Muzaffarabad. Pakistan’s foreign ministry condemned the attack, but its military response was muted, likely due to growing international scrutiny.
U.S. officials are watching the situation closely. In a closed-door briefing, a U.S. congressional aide noted, “China has a pattern of exploiting regional instability to protect its own interests. What’s happening in Kashmir may not be random.”
There is precedent. Analysts recall how Chinese troops clashed with Indian forces in Galwan in 2020, just as New Delhi began pushing for domestic electronics manufacturing and expanded military ties with the U.S. Now, with major American firms like Apple, Tesla, and Micron considering India as their next big base, the stakes are far higher.
China’s Strategy?
Destabilize India via Pakistan. Cripple U.S. companies’ India plans through trade bottlenecks. Keep global supply chains tethered to Beijing.
India’s Challenge?
To stay the course—militarily vigilant, economically stable, and diplomatically agile—despite the shadow games played from across the Himalayas.
