Karakoram 2026: A New Dimension in China-Pakistan Military Cooperation – orfonline.org

Karakoram 2026: A New Dimension in China-Pakistan Military Cooperation  orfonline.org

Karakoram 2026: A New Dimension in China-Pakistan Military Cooperation By adding an army-training dimension to existing exercises, Karakoram points to deeper operational coordination between China and Pakistan along the Himalayan frontier Pakistan occupies a prominent place in Beijing’s strategic calculus, as affirmed by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s statement: “No matter how the international situation changes, China always prioritises the development of China-Pakistan relations in its neighbourhood diplomacy.” Within this “iron brothers” partnership, “military-to-military” relations have been upheld as an “important pillar” of the bilateral ties. Geographically, China’s military diplomacy remains mainly concentrated in Asia, accounting for around 40 percent of its engagements between 2002 and 2024—of which South Asia accounted for 10 percent, largely driven by Beijing’s close ties with Islamabad.

Apart from high-level military visits, bilateral military cooperation has increasingly been institutionalised through recurring joint exercises—providing a framework for sustained engagement, professional exchanges, and greater operational coordination. In this regard, Karakoram 2026—the first joint army training between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the Pakistani Army—adds a new dimension to bilateral defence cooperation, particularly enhancing their preparedness for operations in mountainous terrain. On 10 October 2026, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced a China-Pakistan joint army training, “Karakoram 2026”, scheduled for mid-to-late October in Korla, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The training officially commenced on 14 October, and all training