As the ongoing military face-off between India and Pakistan started by Pahalgam terrorist attack (which took the lives of 26 innocent tourists) enters its 4th day, the conflict, more than just cross-border strikes and military raids has shown us something deeper – who our real friends are and who are not. Two countries have clearly come out on the other side- China and Turkey. Both, in different ways, are supporting Pakistan, the country that continues to sponsor and nurture terror.

China – Playing the Long Game, Not Bothered by Terror. China, as always, is acting purely in its own self-interest. For them, Pakistan is a close strategic partner, not just because of CPEC or border diplomacy, but because they see India as a competitor. Not just in Asia, but globally too. And Pakistan serves as the perfect proxy that China needs in the region. Consider the following:-

China has helped Pakistan build up its missile systems and combat aircraft among other hardware. Recently, it’s also been speeding up the supply of PL-15E long-range air-to-air missiles to the Pakistan Air Force. These were meant to challenge India’s fighter fleet and Pakistan has done that. One of these missiles have been recovered as it failed and fell in the Indian territory on the night of 7/8 May.

At the UN and other platforms, China has always blocked efforts to label terrorists like Masood Azhar as global threats. It shields Pakistan diplomatically, even when the facts are obvious.

For China, the current situation is also a chance to watch how Indian military systems perform. Many of our advanced platforms and systems are home grown, many come from the US and Europe and China might be using Pakistan as a proxy to study them in action.

Let’s be clear- the border dispute with China is not the only issue anymore. The bigger reason for China’s behaviour action is ‘competition for influence, power, and economy’. In groupings like the Quad, India is standing up to China and they don’t like that. (QUAD on the other hand has verbally supported India in its fight against terror)

Turkey’s Open Support for Pakistan. Turkey has not even bothered to make a pretence. Turkey’s actions in the last two weeks have been more direct. Erdogan and his ministers have not even tried to hide its support for Pakistan.

Turkish drones like the Asisguard Songar, as reported by Indian MoD’s spokespersons on 09 May, have been used by Pakistan in attacks over Indian cities and military targets. These drones are armed and meant for tactical operations not just surveillance. The better ones like the Bayraktar TB2 are perhaps being held back for use later hoping that India’s AD Systems will be overwhelmed after a while.

Turkish President Erdoğan has spoken openly in favour of Pakistan, playing the card of Islamic brotherhood.

This is not about diplomacy anymore – it’s about ideological support for a country that sponsors terrorism. What’s more worrying is that Turkey is helping arm Pakistan in a time of conflict.

This should be a wake-up call. Indians love travelling to Turkey, enjoying its culture, food, and beauty. But if our money is helping a country that then sends drones and weapons to be used against us, we have to ask some tough questions.

India Stands Alone and Prepared. In all this, one thing is clear- no other country has given India strong support during this conflict. Yes, some have issued statements, but no one has stepped forward with military or strategic help. And that’s okay.

Thanks to the push for self-reliance, India is in a much better place today than even 5–6 years ago. Indigenous missiles, radars, surveillance systems, and drones are in play, and they’re doing well by all accounts. This is a real-world trial, and our systems are holding up.

Time to be clear Eyed. The current situation teaches us one important lesson – know your real friends and enemies. In global politics, friendship is not about words, but actions. China and Turkey have shown where they stand. We must remember that going forward not just in war, but in trade, diplomacy, and tourism.

India’s strength lies in its preparedness, independence, and clarity of purpose. The fog is clearing, and we’re beginning to see the world as it truly is.