Hard-to-crack Chinese devices part of terror toolkit

The presence of Chinese technology in recent terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir recently made news after Indian security agencies probing the role it may have played in the brutal Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Chinese communication tools, including banned Huawei satellite phones and encrypted messaging apps, are believed to have helped foreign terrorists maintain contact with their handlers across the border and evade detection.

It doesn't end there though.

Over the past year, foreign militants killed in Jammu and Kashmir have frequently been found with satellite phones and navigation systems based on BeiDou, a Chinese satellite system owned and operated by the China National Space Administration, according to information accessed by The Economic Times. ET reported citing officials say these devices are being used by terrorists to avoid detection. A senior official said, "Cracking this equipment is difficult but not impossible as it takes several days and involves foreign expertise."


Also Read: Foreign terrorists killed in J&K found with BeiDou satphones and satnav

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police's annual data till December 31, 2024, 42 foreign terrorists were killed in the Union Territory. Of these, 17 were gunned down during infiltration attempts along the Line of Control, while the remaining 25 were killed in encounters within the region.

Security officials suspect that similar Chinese technology was used in the Pahalgam terror attack, carried out by operatives of The Resistance Force (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Investigators believe that the attackers used this gear to coordinate with their handlers and escape Indian surveillance. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which recently took over the case, is now verifying data linked to the presence of a Huawei satellite phone near the attack site around the time of the incident, sources told The Economic Times.

Huawei, a Chinese company whose products have been banned in India since the Galwan clashes in 2020, is believed to have had one of its satellite phones smuggled into India via Pakistan or another foreign nation, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, ET had reportred. The lone phone was tracked to the Baisaran Valley, close to the Pahalgam site, on the day of the attack.

Also Read: Pahalgam terror attack: NIA inspects entry, exit points for clues on modus operandi

Terrorists are also reported to have used encrypted Chinese messaging apps that are already banned in India. These apps rely on advanced security techniques such as end-to-end encryption, steganography, a method where messages are hidden inside images or videos, and frequency hopping, all of which make surveillance difficult for Indian intelligence agencies. Intelligence sources said these technologies are increasingly used by terror groups because they are hard to crack.

The use of Huawei satellite phones and encrypted Chinese apps suggests that the Pahalgam attack was a sophisticated operation likely backed logistically by handlers in Pakistan. While investigators have not found direct evidence linking Chinese companies or the Chinese state to the attack, the presence of these tools has added a layer of complexity to India’s security landscape.

China’s initial response to the attack was a statement by its foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who said, “We strongly condemn the attack. China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism…. We mourn for the lives lost and express sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.” However, China had expressed support for Pakistan.

On April 27, Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister and a politburo member of the Communist Party, spoke with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar. During the conversation, Wang urged a “swift and fair investigation” into the Pahalgam attack. He also said, “As an ironclad friend and an all-weather strategic cooperative partner, China fully understands Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests.”

China has long been Pakistan’s primary arms supplier, and this partnership has only deepened over the past decade. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), between 2019 and 2023, 81% of Pakistan’s total arms imports came from China. This marked an increase from 74% in the previous five-year period. The total value of Chinese arms delivered to Pakistan during this period was $5.28 billion, which accounted for 63% of Pakistan’s total defence imports.