SINO-PAKISTAN RELATIONS IN THE 1950s: THE INDIAN FACTOR

Abstract

This study examines the evolution of Sino-Pakistan relations during the 1950s, with particular emphasis on the role of India as a decisive strategic factor. In the early years after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China and the independence of Pakistan, both states initially maintained cautious and limited engagement due to ideological differences and Pakistan’s alignment with Western security blocs. However, deteriorating Sino-Indian relations especially following border disputes and India’s regional ambitions created a convergence of interests between China and Pakistan. This article analyzes how India’s political, diplomatic, and security posture in South Asia influenced Pakistan’s gradual rapprochement with China and shaped Beijing’s strategic recalibration toward Islamabad. By exploring diplomatic exchanges, regional security dynamics, and the broader Cold War context, the study argues that the Indian factor played a central role in transforming Sino-Pakistan relations from tentative contact into a pragmatic strategic partnership by the end of the 1950s.