ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday dismissed recent remarks by Indian military and political figures as a failed effort to recover what he described as New Delhi’s tarnished reputation, and he warned that Pakistan would respond forcefully to any renewed aggression.
Posting on X, Asif criticised unspecified statements from India’s political and military leadership and recalled the four-day escalation between the two countries in May. He asserted that Pakistan inflicted a decisive setback on India during the confrontation and said, “If they try again, God willing, the score will be much better than the last time.” He added: “This time, God willing, India will get buried under the rubble of its own jets.”
The defence minister’s comments followed a terse warning from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which said provocative remarks by India’s defence and military chiefs risked triggering a confrontation that could cause “cataclysmic devastation.” The ISPR said Pakistan would “resolutely respond, without any qualms or restraint” if hostilities resumed.
Indian officials had in recent days made blunt statements attributing cross-border terrorism to Pakistan and warning of punitive action. Reports in Indian media quoted senior military leaders asserting that India would not exercise restraint if provoked. The Indian air chief, according to those accounts, claimed his forces had downed several Pakistani jets during the May clashes — a claim Islamabad disputes.
Pakistan’s military has repeatedly rejected allegations of state-sponsored terrorism and questioned the accuracy of some of New Delhi’s public assertions about the May confrontation. The ISPR accused India of issuing “delusional, provocative and jingoistic” pronouncements and warned that such rhetoric could be used to manufacture pretexts for aggression.
The May fighting — the most intense between the neighbours in decades — began after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Both capitals traded accusations; both deployed jets, missiles and drones during the four days of exchanges before a ceasefire was restored. Islamabad has said it shot down multiple Indian aircraft during the clash, while India has acknowledged losses without confirming the number cited by Pakistan.
In August, Pakistan announced the formation of a new Army Rocket Force Command, a conventional rocket and missile arm intended to enhance the military’s long-range strike capacity. Officials described the command as a response to lessons learned during the May escalation and as a means to hold deep targets at risk with conventional — not nuclear — options.
Analysts say the new command is designed to provide Pakistan with a sharper conventional deterrent, operating ballistic and cruise missiles with greater reach. Islamabad has presented the move as a stabilising measure that strengthens deterrence by clarifying the conventional options available short of nuclear escalation.
As tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours simmer, both sides continue to publicly trade accusations and to reinforce their military postures. Islamabad has urged restraint while insisting on its right to defend national sovereignty; New Delhi has spotlighted alleged cross-border threats and called for tougher measures.
The recent exchange of sharp statements underscores the fragility of peace in South Asia and the continuing challenge of preventing rhetorical escalation from sliding into kinetic confrontation.
