What Pakistan army chief Asim Munir's nuclear threat to India from American soil indicates
Amidst troubled India-US relations over trade tariffs, observers say it's condemnable that Washington had provided a platform to Pakistan's military leader to make provocative and inflammatory statements against India. Moreover, Field Marshal Munir's decision to issue threats from American soil not only amplifies his rhetoric but also risks deepening strains in already uneasy Washington-New Delhi ties, frayed by divergent views on regional security.The Trump administration's silence has fuelled speculation that Washington may be recalibrating its South Asia tilt towards Pakistan, driven by shifting geopolitical priorities and the strategic demands of its stand-off with Iran.Reacting sharply to Field Marshal Munir's comment, India called it 'nuclear sabre-rattling' that was essentially Pakistan's 'stock-in-trade'. The ministry of external affairs said such remarks underscored doubts about the integrity of Pakistan's nuclear command and control, particularly in a situation wherein the military was 'hand-in-glove with terrorist groups'.The ministry termed it 'regrettable' that the comments had been made from the soil of a friendly third country. 'India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security,' the ministry's statement read.It is notable that Pakistan is increasing its nuclear arsenal, believed to be with China's assistance. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a leading defence and armaments think-tank, Pakistan is a strong nuclear power, having an estimated 170 warheads, as per its latest assessment. In comparison, India has 180 nuclear stored warheads as of January 2025.Field Marshal Munir was in Florida to attend a retirement function for General Michael Kurilla, the outgoing commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). Kurilla had, sometime back, praised Islamabad's role in combating the ISIS-Khorasan and credited Pakistan's military leadership, particularly army chief Munir, with efforts to disrupt ISIS-K operations in the region.advertisementThe US military divides the world into various regions of operations for its engagement. Pakistan comes under Centcom, as part of the US's focus on Iran and Afghanistan. India comes under the Indo-Pacific command that is purely focused on China.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
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