India and Pakistan, South Asia’s rival nuclear powers, are on the brink of all-out war. Such a conflict would be catastrophic, not only for the region’s 2 billion people, but for the entire world.

Having paused militarily, India would be keen to intensify its non-kinetic punitive actions against Islamabad, observes Sameer Patil, Director, Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology, at Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

Pakistan is China’s “iron brother,” but full support is a bridge too far when Beijing would much prefer de-escalation to an expanded conflict.