Recently, India's neighbours agreed to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan. The announcement followed trilateral talks between the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. India, has been opposing the CPEC project, as the route passes through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), which India considers an integral part of its territory.
This raises an important question: Why is CPEC a point of tension for India, and what are China's intentions behind including Afghanistan in the project?
Let us understand what is CPEC, and its significance for China, Pakistan-
Launched in 2015, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a 3,000 km infrastructure project under construction in Pakistan is a part of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The project aims to connect Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan province to China's Xinjiang region via a network of roads, railways, pipelines, and energy projects.
CPEC seeks to secure a shorter route for China's energy imports from the Middle East, bypassing the Strait of Malacca, at the same time, modernising India's western neighbour - Pakistan’s infrastructure, while addressing its energy shortages, and boosting its economy through special economic zones (SEZs). Initially, valued at $46 billion, the CPEC project has seen investments rise to $65 billion.
Also Read: China, Pakistan to expand economic corridor to Afghanistan
CPEC expansion to Afghanistan -
With its expansion to Afghanistan, the project will entail connecting Pakistani infrastructure with Afghan roads, railways, and mineral-rich provinces, potentially integrating the entire region into China's western logistics and trade networks.
This development could involve - extending the ML-1 railway line to link with Afghan freight corridors, constructing motorways through the Torkham and Spin Boldak crossing points, providing access to China, Afghanistan's abundant lithium and rare earth resources, and the energy pipelines connecting Iran and Central Asia via Afghan territory.
Why CPEC is a tension for India -
India has consistently voiced strong objections to the CPEC, one reason is due to its route through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). To India, this project directly violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity, intensifying tensions with both eastern and western neighbours.
Majorly, India is concerned that the CPEC’s trade infrastructure, particularly with its extension into Afghanistan, may disguise potential military logistics, enhancing China and Pakistan's strategic capabilities near its borders.
"String of Pearls"
As per India's view, this project is China's strategy to encircle it through infrastructure and military partnerships with neighbouring nations, thereby expanding Beijing's influence in South Asia. China's infrastructural and military collaborations with Pakistan and Bangladesh are seen as clear evidence of this encirclement strategy, often referred to as the "String of Pearls" in geopolitical discourse.
Also Read: Pakistan's Gwadar gamble backfires with China
Additionally, India fears that CPEC could undermine its own regional connectivity initiatives, such as the Chabahar port project in Iran, which aims to provide India with a trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan. CPEC’s alternative trade routes, especially with its recent extension into Afghanistan as of 21 May 2025, might divert economic opportunities away from India, reducing its regional influence.
With Chinese financial backing and Pakistani intelligence support, this emerging China-Pakistan-Afghanistan triangle could potentially fund, train, and export terrorism into Indian territory, particularly in Kashmir, where such activities have long been a challenge for India's security forces.
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