India's Border Dispute With China, Pakistan To Remain 'Intense': US Intel Report

The US intelligence community in its annual assessment of threats around the world said that despite pullbacks of forces and although a war between India and Pakistan is “unlikely”, disputes between India and China will become 'more intense, risking an escalatory cycle.'

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A United States intelligence report claims that tensions between India and its neighbouring countries Pakistan and China will continue to 'remain high'.

The US intelligence community in its annual assessment of threats around the world said that despite pullbacks of forces and although a war between India and Pakistan is “unlikely”, disputes between India and China will become 'more intense, risking an escalatory cycle.'

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"China's occupation since May 2020 of contested border areas is the most serious escalation in decades and led to the first lethal border clash between the two countries since 1975. As of mid-February, after multiple rounds of talks, both sides were pulling back forces and equipment from some sites along the disputed border," the report said.

"Internal and interstate conflict and instability will continue to pose direct and indirect threats to US persons and interests during the next year. Competition for power and resources, ethnic strife and ideology will drive insurgency and civil war in many countries," it added.

The unclassified annual report was submitted by the US' Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on Tuesday. The office of DNI oversees the US Intelligence Community and serves as principal adviser to the President on intelligence issues.

It went on to opine that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India is more likely to respond with "military force to perceived or real Pakistani provocations and heightened tensions raise the risk of conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with violent unrest in Kashmir or a militant attack in India being potential flashpoints”.