When India attributes any terrorist attack in its illegally occupied Kashmir — whether home-grown or linked to Pakistan, specifically to Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) — or blames any non-flushing toilet in India on the ISI, creating a war hysteria driven by arrogance and hubris without conducting impartial investigations and ignoring international calls for restraint, it is an abhorrent display of subpar statesmanship. Such behavior is unworthy of a middle power that aspires to be a significant global player, casting serious doubt on its credentials.

When Indian leadership, in pursuit of petty political gains and cheap theatrics, escalates tensions by climbing the "Escalation Ladder" only to find it impossible to de-escalate without risking a military showdown with the much smaller Pakistan, this reveals a dangerous miscalculation. Furthermore, when New Delhi, under the pretext of the reprehensible carnage in Pahalgam, seeks to scrap the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 with Islamabad — an agreement that has endured even through previous wars — it demonstrates premeditated, wanton disregard for international obligations and the rule of law.

When the Indian military launches air and missile attacks on 24 locations across six cities, not only in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) but also within Pakistan's borders, resulting in the deaths of over 36 civilians — including women, the elderly, and children — it is a reckless and callous act unbefitting of a professional military. When these air strikes are followed the next day by drone strikes, primarily targeting civilian areas in Pakistani cities, it signals outright arrogance, self-aggrandizement, and misplaced superiority. It reflects a bloated sense of self-righteousness, a lack of accountability, and an air of unwarranted haughtiness.

Such actions are not only dangerous for Indo-Pakistani relations, but also threaten regional peace and global stability. This demands a response — and on May 10th, a fitting response was delivered. The hegemon, intoxicated by its inflated sense of importance, power, and relevance, needed to be stopped for the greater good of humanity.

The new normal

Before delving into Pakistan's response, it is important to re-emphasise certain facts. First, India is attempting to establish a ‘New Normal.’ In 2019, following the Pulwama terrorist attacks, Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, for the first time, crossed the international border, bombing alleged LeT seminaries in Balakot, Pakistan. The attack, which resulted in the death of a crow and the destruction of a few huts, was a symbolic display. This time, however, Indian beyond visual range (BVR) missiles fired from IAF fighter planes and loitering munitions via drones crossed not only the Line of Control (LoC), but also the Working Boundary and International Border. These attacks came without any ‘substantiated’ provocation or charges against Pakistan. They resulted in the cold-blooded killing of Pakistani civilians, entirely unprovoked.

The message from India is clear: "Any terrorist attack in India will be linked to Pakistan, leading to military reprisals. This is the New Normal. And Pakistan must learn to live with it. Period."

Prime Minister Modi needs to understand, however, that this is not how it will end — and it certainly won’t end this way if Pakistan has a say in it.

The humiliation

Second, New Delhi believes that Pakistan, weighed down by its internal political divisions — exacerbated by the vilification of its Armed Forces by certain political factions — along with its economic difficulties and the perceived success of India’s media campaign, which shamelessly portrays Pakistan as a haven for terrorism, is in a vulnerable position. India assumes this creates a favorable environment to browbeat, humiliate, and embarrass Pakistan, its leadership, and military. Furthermore, India seems to believe that Pakistan’s capitulation is only a matter of time. However, nothing could be further from the truth than these RAW-inspired fantasies.

Conventional war under nuclear overhang

Third, Indian policymakers and influencers are mistaken in believing that there is room for a conventional war of humiliation against Pakistan. One has written time and again to debunk this jingoistic geostrategic fallacy. There are powerful factions within the Indian military establishment who genuinely believe that a conventional military showdown with Pakistan is feasible, even under the nuclear overhang. They often cite Kargil as a precedent, conveniently overlooking the fact that Kargil was fought in a remote, inaccessible mountainous terrain, under vastly different conditions and circumstances.

Any hostilities against Pakistan’s mainland would quickly reach its nuclear ‘threshold.’ Indian warmongers must not make the mistake of underestimating Pakistan’s resolve. This time, Pakistan is steadfast, standing on the edge after enduring repeated Indian bellicosity and hegemony. It is more determined than ever to challenge the Indian ‘New Normal’ and put an end to this flawed thinking — once and for all.

Calling Pakistan’s nuclear bluff

Third, a narrative circulating on NDTV, often seen as an RSS mouthpiece, claims that through Operation Sindoor, India has successfully called Pakistan's nuclear bluff — asserting that Pakistan lacks the will, resolve, or stomach to go nuclear. Let the record be corrected. The year was 1987, and amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following India's provocative Operation Brass Tacks, President Zia, during a visit to Jaipur for a cricket match, engaged in what would become a pivotal moment of 'Cricket Diplomacy.' This backdrop followed the 1984 assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, in retaliation for her actions against the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

During his visit, Zia, in an effort to de-escalate the situation, leaned in dramatically while on the tarmac and whispered to Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He ominously reminded Rajiv that while there were over 50 Islamic countries in the world, India stood as the sole Hindu nation. Zia warned that, in the event of a nuclear war, while Pakistan may be lost, no Hindu country would remain. Eyewitnesses recall a chill running down their spines as Zia smiled and shook Rajiv's hand before walking away.

Thus, the armchair generals in India’s plush drawing rooms and their Hindutva supporters in the military, who continue to mislead their political leadership, must understand that Pakistan’s tactical nuclear warheads are not only numerous but are also backed by fail-safe delivery systems capable of reaching all of India. Pakistan's second-strike capability, along with its ‘No First Use’ Nuclear Doctrine, is underpinned by an unwavering resolve to use nuclear force if pushed to the brink.

Nuclear threshold

For the uninformed and misled Indian cohort that seeks to call Pakistan's nuclear capability a bluff, some education is necessary. Any two military forces must be evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitatively, India, understandably, requires larger forces due to its greater size and the need to compete with a powerful China, as well as its concerns about an uneasy relationship with Muslim-majority Bangladesh. After accounting for border deployments against China and Bangladesh, India’s available forces against Pakistan, while significant, are not overwhelmingly decisive enough to secure a quick victory in a conventional war.

In a protracted conflict, however, Pakistan’s limited logistical stamina, coupled with the inevitable degradation of its forces, civilian casualties, infrastructure damage, and the looming threat of existential economic collapse, would likely push Pakistan to cross the ‘Nuclear Threshold’ — a point of no return, both physically and psychologically. Therefore, in the military calculus between India and Pakistan, drones and isolated IAF incursions do not constitute a credible challenge to Islamabad’s nuclear deterrence. Those in India, particularly within the jingoistic, RSS-influenced circles, who continue to call for Pakistani blood, need to recognise that they are courting the catastrophic possibility of a nuclear holocaust.

The Israeli nexus

Modi and his cohort need to realise that by following Netanyahu's playbook, he is leading India toward nuclear disaster. He is not Bibi, Pakistan is not Palestine, and Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state with a military of over 250 million. Our lands are not Gaza. Modi’s newfound confidence must be tempered with a clear understanding of ground realities. His grandiose ambitions of dominating South Asia, once thought to be within reach, now lie in ruins. The embarrassing performance of the IAF's Rafale jets, coupled with the robust, calibrated, and disproportionate defeat at the hands of Pakistan on May 10th, should serve as a sharp reminder of the limitations of his designs.

The response

Pakistan’s defensive response during the Indian attack demonstrated its military strength, not in sheer numbers, but decisively in the qualitative domain. The Pakistani military holds a distinct edge over the more heterogeneous Indian military system — battle-hardened, well-led, and unified under resolute leadership at every level, from young officers to generals. Pakistan’s forces are better trained, possess the ‘will to fight,’ and are motivated by a sense of a ‘just cause and jazba-e-jihad.’ These are battle-winning force multipliers. A more technical discussion on potential battlefield scenarios would be excessive, but one thing is clear: drones have become the new face of war, and South Asia recognises this.

India’s diplomatic maneuvers have found no international support. A hegemonic New Delhi is not on good terms with any of its neighbors. Domestically, India faces significant risks, including fissures within its union, widespread anti-India sentiment among Kashmiris, Modi’s racist policies targeting minorities — Muslims, Christians, and Dalits — and raging insurgencies. In contrast, Pakistan, despite its internal challenges, enjoys a higher moral ground and diplomatic advantage. Its internal divisions often unify during crises, particularly in relation to India.

Thus, Pakistan’s offensive response on Saturday, engaging over 30 targets across India, inflicted disproportionate pain and embarrassment on India for the second time. Pakistan’s resolute, decisive, aggressive, yet measured response at locations and times of its choosing instilled fear in the hearts of the emboldened RSS operatives under Modi. Pakistan proved that it is not a meek 2-foot dwarf, and India is not an invincible 10-foot giant. India’s ‘New Normal’ has been shattered.

Having re-established deterrence through a timely and well-calibrated response, Pakistan must now announce a clear nuclear policy: it will go nuclear in the event of any violation of its land, air, and sea borders by states like India. Without this, incidents like Pahalgam will lead to more Sindoors, and successive Indian governments will likely engineer staged operations to blackmail, browbeat, and corner Pakistan. It’s time to seriously consider putting an end to this sinister strategy in India’s playbook.

The Trump-facilitated ceasefire offers hope for nuclear peace in South Asia, but Washington must go further to rein in a berserk Modi. Otherwise, its newfound bonhomie with New Delhi, driven by strategic goals, will ultimately crumble to dust.

Pakistan has proved, thanks to Allah, what Iqbal said long ago, that “hey jum-e-zaeefi ki saza marge-mafajaat (weakness invites an embarrassing death)” Long Live Pakistan!

Inam Ul Haque is a retired Pakistan Army major general who writes on defence, global affairs and political sociology. He can be reached at tayyarinam@hotmail.com and his X handle @20_Inam

All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the author