China adversary, Pakistan ancillary problem for New Delhi: US report

Pakistan, on the other hand, sees India as an “existential threat” and will continue the development of tactical nuclear weapons to counter India’s conventional military advantage, while tensions between India and China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are “capable of escalating quickly”, DIA director Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse said in his worldwide threat assessment to the US House armed services subcommittee on intelligence.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians last month. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes using drones, missiles and long-range weapons that ended with an understanding between the two countries on halting military actions on May 10.

The DIA assessment, presented on May 11, said the Indian and Pakistani militaries had “agreed to a full ceasefire” after multiple rounds of missile, drone and loitering munition attacks and heavy artillery fire during May 7-10.