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OPINION NOVEMBER 20, 2026 | The Indian Eye 10

Implications of

China–Pakistan Military

Exercise Karakoram 2026

India must continue to closely monitor Pakistan’s evolving procurement patterns, doctrinal

developments and military training practices. These indicators would provide a more reliable
assessment of China–Pakistan operational integration than any single exercise

NAMITA BARTHWAL

he nine-day China–Pakistan
joint army exercise, Kara-
Tkoram 2026, was held in Kor-
la, Xinjiang, from 14 October to 22
October 2026. The exercise brought
together regular army formations,
armoured vehicles, drones, robotic
systems and joint command arrange-
ments. Although officially designed
for counterterrorism operations in
high-altitude areas, several capabili-
ties demonstrated have wider appli-
cations in conventional warfare.
The choice of Korla as the ex-
ercise venue is significant. The city
hosts established military training fa-
cilities and has previously hosted In-
ternational Army Games events in-
volving foreign military contingents,
armoured vehicles and engineering Source: “China-Pakistan ‘Karakoram-2026’ Joint Army Training Concludes”, Ministry of National Defense, People’s Republic of China, 23 October 2026.
units. Its location in Xinjiang also
places the exercise within China’s civilians. The security situation de- how effectively can Pakistan absorb (IFVs), artillery, and unmanned and
broader regional security concerns, teriorated sharply in 2025, with the Chinese battlefield technologies and counter-unmanned systems. This
particularly those relating to terror- Pakistan Institute for Conflict and operating practices? equipment lineup allows Pakistani
ism and separatism. However, the Security Studies (PICSS) recording China and Pakistan have con- personnel to gain practical exposure
contrasting security environments approximately 3,400 combat-related ducted counterterrorism exercises to Chinese platforms, operating pro-
in China and Pakistan merit closer fatalities nationwide, making it one under the Warrior series since 2013. cedures and maintenance require-
examination. According to Chinese of the country’s deadliest years in re- The series resumed in 2024 following ments. Such familiarity may also
official accounts, Xinjiang has not cent history. China has tried to miti- a five-year hiatus. Karakoram 2026, influence future procurement deci-
experienced a terrorist incident since gate the conflict, but its efforts have however, marked an expansion of sions.
late 2016. However, Beijing’s coun- not borne fruit. cooperation from specialised units The exercise reflects China’s
terterrorism policies have drawn in- These facts raise questions about to regular army formations. Chinese wider efforts to absorb lessons from
ternational criticism over severe re- the strategic objectives of Kara- military expert Zhang Jueshe de- contemporary conflicts. A 2026 study
strictions and the mass detention of koram 2026, particularly its emphasis scribed this development as a widen- by the Center for Strategic and Inter-
Uyghur Muslims. on conventional military capabilities ing of bilateral military engagement. national Studies (CSIS) found that
Pakistan, meanwhile, continues under the cover of counterterrorism According to Chinese military Chinese military analysts identify
to confront persistent militant vi- cooperation. For India, the signifi- reporting, the exercise involved emerging battlefield techniques with-
olence, including attacks targeting cance lies in the growing operation- mixed formations operating under in approximately four months. Trans-
China–Pakistan Economic Corridor al familiarity between the People’s unified command. Troops conducted lating these lessons into equipment,
(CPEC) projects and Chinese na- Liberation Army (PLA) and the reconnaissance, coordinated strikes training and organisational changes
tionals. Its security challenges have Pakistan Army. The May 2025 In- and clearance operations. China sup- generally takes a year or longer. This
been compounded by recurring dia–Pakistan military confrontation plied the equipment, including Type observation is particularly relevant in
armed confrontations along the Af- sharpened concerns over China’s 191 rifles, Type 201 machine guns, the context of Pakistan’s experience
ghanistan border, resulting in casu- military support to Pakistan. Kara- Type 11 armoured assault vehicles, during the May 2025 conflict with In-
alties among security personnel and koram 2026 raises a further question: Type 08 infantry fighting vehicles Continued on next page... >>

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