Pahalgam clue points skyward: After Huawei, China’s BeiDou GPS comes under scanner. Here's what we know

The ongoing investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack has revealed a new layer in cross-border militancy — one that orbits well above India’s surveillance grid. According to The Economic Times, Indian agencies have found that foreign militants killed in Jammu & Kashmir over the past year were often equipped with devices linked to China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) — a high-precision satellite network operated by the China National Space Administration.

These BeiDou-enabled devices, including handheld navigation units and satellite communication tools, could allow militants to infiltrate, coordinate, and operate in India without relying on conventional telecom networks. 

Unlike GPS or mobile towers, BeiDou’s Asia-focused architecture offers enhanced accuracy and resilience against jamming.

The sky route...

What sets BeiDou apart is its ability to function completely independent of host infrastructure. These systems enable real-time, high-accuracy navigation in remote terrains where mobile signals are weak or nonexistent. Some versions even offer two-way satellite messaging, giving militants the ability to communicate without a traceable network footprint.

Experts claim cracking these systems is technically possible but takes several days and often involves coordination with foreign agencies.

A new red flag

In a parallel track of the same probe, surveillance systems picked up signals from a Huawei satellite-enabled smartphone — specifically a model believed to be part of the Mate 60 Pro or P60 series — near Pahalgam around the time of the attack. The device is now under forensic scrutiny.

Unlike traditional Thuraya satellite phones, which were bulky and visibly suspicious, Huawei’s phones integrate satellite tech seamlessly within everyday-looking handsets. These devices connect to China’s Tiantong-1 satellite network, bypassing Indian telecom entirely. They require no external antenna, no SIM traceable to Indian carriers — and can operate covertly even during complete cellular blackouts.

Earlier generations of satellite phones like Thuraya could be visually identified — their bulky frames and pop-up antennas made them easy targets for field operatives. But Huawei’s phones are indistinguishable from common smartphones. Their satellite capabilities allow militants to text, call, and transmit location data under the radar, during shutdowns or blackout conditions.

Other Chinese brands — including OPPO, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Honor — are preparing phones with similar capabilities. With minimal regulatory scrutiny over satellite messaging features, Indian intelligence could face a widening gap in intercepting terror communications.

While Indian forces have improved ground-level intelligence, the emergence of encrypted, foreign-operated satellite tech — especially from China — brings with it a new challenge.