How India & Pakistan could spark nuclear war killing 125million as warring neighbours urged to step back from armageddon
INDIA and Pakistan are being urged to step back from armageddon as a nuclear war between the two rivals could kill 125million people.
The fighting neighbours
Advertisement
9
The Pakistani military's medium range ballistic missile Hatf V (Ghauri) taking off during a test fire in 2010
9
Indian soldiers stand on the border with Pakistan
9
Footage emerged of Indian rockets fired at Pakistan
9
Pakistan's leader labelled the strikes an "act of war" and his country claimed to have shot down Indian fighter jets.
Now, fears are abound that fighting could escalate to the use of nuclear weapons and kill tens of millions.
Peace campaigners like the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons are "gravely concerned" and have called for the two sides to step back from the brink.
India and Pakistan only have small stockpiles of nuclear weapons compared to Russia or America - but they have a viscous rivalry and longstanding feud over
Advertisement
Read more on world news
Islamabad was last officially thought to have 170 weapons but could have grown that arsenal to around 200.
Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British Army commander, said the West will be particularly nervous about a nuclear conflict.
Ingram said: "Western intelligence in particular will be focused on the readiness and the outloading of nuclear stocks inside both Pakistan and India and monitoring what's happening to them very closely indeed.
Advertisement
Most read in The Sun
"The worrying thing about these two nations is that the tensions are very real.
"The nuclear weapons are not there to protect them against attack from China or Russia or anyone else.
India 'launches airstrikes on Pakistan' in escalation between countries
"It's focused purely on each other."
Ingram said escalation to using nuclear weapons could happen rapidly and powers like the US would step in to try and prevent their use.
Advertisement
He said: "The US Secretary of State, flying into India and Pakistan, would carry out shuttle diplomacy between the two."
But that might not be enough to overcome the animosity between the two enemies and their desire to escalate the conflict.
One key rung on the escalation ladder would be troops crossing the border in a wider invasion, causing
BILLIONS COULD DIE
A 2019 academic article predicted how a
Advertisement
Following a terror attack in 2025, the authors predict in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that skirmishes would at first erupt before the Indian Army decided to invade Pakistan.
Pakistani generals then panic and decide the only way they could repulse an attack is with nuclear weapons.
9
Pakistani Army soldiers and people attend the funeral of the victims of the Indian missile strike in Muridke, Punjab province
Credit: EPA
9
Members of the Pakistan Central Muslim League take part in an anti-India demonstration in Peshawar
Credit: AFP
Advertisement
9
At first Pakistan nukes its own territory to wipe out the invading Indian tanks and soldiers.
Sensing a knockout blow, New Delhi decides to launch nukes on Pakistani airfields, army bases, and nuclear weapons depots.
Pakistan responds by nuking Indian naval bases and army garrisons - some in cities - and uses its entire arsenal.
Advertisement
India then fires some 70 nukes on Pakistan, leaving 100 bombs in its arsenal to continue to deter China.
The authors predict up to 125million people would die in the horrifying nuclear exchanges.
But the environmental impacts of some 250 nuclear bombs exploding could kill many more, by creating a global famine.
Billions could be killed as temperatures drop several degrees around the world and a global food shortage hits.
Advertisement
WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE
Most experts, including Ingram, think India and Pakistan will choose to deescalate the conflict.
Ingram said: "I think this is something that will blow over relatively quickly, because I think both nations recognize the implications of what's going on, but that doesn't mean that the tension is going to simmer down.
"We might see more skirmishes in coming days and weeks."
Tensions have been simmering for decades and the two countries have been at war at least three times before.
Advertisement
9
The attacks came amid soaring tensions between the two countries
9
Pakistanis gather around the debris of an Indian jet
Credit: Alamy
In 2019, India conducted airstrikes on Pakistan after border skirmishes erupted out of Kashmir tensions - but the sides deescalated after that.
India's
Ministry of Defence
said the
strikes against the camps
were in retaliation to a "barbaric"
, when 26 people were killed by gunmen.
Advertisement
A spokesperson said: "These military strikes were designed to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families."
In an
Plitsas said: "By publicly framing the strikes as counterterrorism-focused and avoiding sovereign Pakistani targets, New Delhi sought to limit retaliatory pressure on Islamabad."
Pakistan has, meanwhile, kept its rhetoric cautious and vowed it has the
Advertisement
The US, China, Britain, and UN have all called for peace.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X: "I echo @POTUS's comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution."
CONFLICT COULD HELP CHINA
Ingram said the conflict risks pushing Pakistan into the arms of the "Axis of Evil" - the alliance between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Ingram said: "It wouldn't surprise me if we're seeing Pakistan supplying some capability to Russia."
Advertisement
Ingram said China could use the conflict as a way of testing its weapons on the battlefield to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan.
He said: "China could stimulate a refocus of Western attention, you know, back to Pakistan, India, possibly North and South Korea, while China is focusing on Taiwan.
"China would love to do that. It's within their playbook. It's the sort of tactics they'd use."
Pakistan would likely not start sending weapons to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine as it needs to stockpile ammunition and guns for its own battles.
Advertisement
Ingram said: "But I think we'll see closer relations building up, and they could come into this grouping that we are loosely referring to as the axis of evil.
"And it's worrying that continues to grow."
What is the Kashmir conflict about?
The region of Kashmir has always been a contentious issue even before India and Pakistan won their independence from Britain.
But the current conflict stems from how the region was split up as the two countries were gaining independence.
Indian troops took two-thirds of Kashmir, while Pakistan seized the northern third.
Since then, two wars have been fought between the two countries and the row has developed into one of the most intense geopolitical rivalries on earth.
There are about 16 million people in Kashmir, split between the Indian-controlled and Pakistani-controlled zones.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich threatened with legal action over £2.3bn proceeds from sale of club
FORMER Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is being threatened with legal action over the £2.3billion proceeds from his sale of the club. The cash was supposed to go on humanitarian projects in Ukraine. Advertisement But British government officials and The Government has lost patience after three years of talks with the Russian oligarch failed to resolve the situation. In a joint statement, Advertisement READ MORE ON CHELSEA 'We are deeply frustrated that it has not been possible to reach agreement on this with Mr Abramovich so far. 'While the door for negotiations will remain open, we are fully prepared to pursue this through the courts if required, to ensure people suffering in Ukraine can benefit from these proceeds as soon as possible.' Pressure was growing on the Government for some time to take a harder line on Abramovich. Charities like Save The Children and senior political figures like Lord Foulkes, a former chairman of Scottish club Hearts, urged first the previous Conservative administration and then the current Labour Government to find a way to end the deadlock. Advertisement Most read in The Sun 1 Roman Abramovich is being threatened with legal action over the £2.3billion proceeds from his sale of Chelsea Credit: AP UK government could approve the sale of Chelsea but Abramovich can't personally profit, says MP Chris Philp Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Journal
16 hours ago
- The Journal
Russia and Ukraine resume peace talks in Istanbul following major airbase attack
RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN officials will meet in Istanbul today to exchange proposals on how to end the war, just one day after Ukraine struck dozens of Russian strategic bombers at airbases deep inside Russian territory. Prompted by US President Donald Trump, Moscow and Kyiv have resumed direct negotiations for the first time since the early months of Russia's invasion. However, progress toward a peace agreement remains limited. Today's discussions follow one of Ukraine's most audacious and successful attacks on Russian soil. Ukraine said it damaged around 40 long-range bombers worth an estimated $7 billion at airbases located far from the front lines. Ukraine's security services said the 18-month operation involved smuggling drones into Russia, which were launched from inside the country. At last month's initial round of talks in Istanbul, the two sides agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange and shared outlines of their respective visions for a peace deal. The second round is set to begin at 1pm (10am Irish time) at the historic Ciragan Palace, an Ottoman-era mansion now operating as a luxury hotel on the Bosphorus. Russia says it will present a 'memorandum' outlining its terms but has refused to send its demands in advance, despite pressure from Ukraine. Despite this new round of diplomacy, the two sides remain far apart. Ukraine is demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the release of prisoners, and the return of abducted children, President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday. Advertisement Zelensky also called for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, 'The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders.' The Kremlin has rejected that idea, insisting a summit could only follow progress in lower-level negotiations. Russia continues to question Zelensky's legitimacy and has pushed for sweeping demands, including limits on Ukraine's military, a ban on NATO membership, and large territorial concessions – conditions Kyiv and Western allies have strongly rejected as imperialist. Tens of thousands have died since Russia's 2022 invasion. Large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine have been destroyed, and millions have been displaced. Negotiation figures Russia will be represented by Vladimir Medinsky, a close Putin ally and nationalist ideologue who led failed negotiations in 2022. Ukraine's delegation is headed by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, seen as pragmatic but currently facing domestic scrutiny over alleged misconduct. Diplomatic advisors from Germany, France, and the UK will be present in Istanbul to support Ukraine's delegation, a German government spokesperson said. Meanwhile, fighting continues on the ground. Russian forces are advancing in the northeastern Sumy region, where President Putin has ordered the creation of a 'buffer zone' along the border. Russia has demanded that Ukraine cut ties with Western military support and surrender territory. Ukraine, however, insists on holding its ground and says only a full ceasefire will allow space for longer-term peace talks. Though Kyiv acknowledges that some territory may only be regained through diplomacy, not war, it continues to demand strong Western security guarantees – such as NATO protection or foreign troops on the ground – measures Moscow has firmly rejected.
The Irish Sun
16 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Nato must be ready for war with Russia by 2029 – Putin is ALREADY planning attack, Germany warns as Starmer pledges subs
NATO must be ready for war in the next four years, Germany's defence chief warned, as he claimed Russia is gearing up to attack more European nations. Keir Starmer meanwhile announced 12 new nuclear submarines to combat the "immediate and pressing threat" from Putin. 7 Flames and destruction after a Russian attack in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine on Monday morning Credit: Getty 7 A huge crater blown into the ground by a Russian ballistic missile on Monday Credit: EPA 7 Russian Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk region, Siberia, was ablaze after a major Ukrainian drone strike over the weekend Credit: East2West 7 General Carsten Breuer said Nato is facing a "very serious threat" from Russia - the most severe he has seen in his 40 years of service. Breuer explained that Russia is producing weaponry at a rapid pace - with around 1,500 battle tanks and four million rounds of artillery each year. Crucially, not all of this is being directed to Ukraine - possibly indicating munitions are being stockpiled for use against Nato countries. He said: "There's an intent and there's a build up of the stocks." Breuer Russia 's potential timeframe for an assault, concluding: "We have to be ready by 2029". "If you ask me now, is this a guarantee that's not earlier than 2029? I would say no, it's not. So we must be able to fight tonight," he said. In April, the general warned that Putin will have next year, and that he wants to "weaken and destroy Nato as an alliance and discredit our Western form of society". The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are particularly vulnerable, he said. Most read in The Sun Breuer said: "The Baltic States are really exposed to the Russians, right? "And once you are there, you really feel this [...] in the talks we are having over there." At least seven killed & dozens injured after bridge collapses and crushes passenger train in Russia The Estonians reportedly use the analogy of being close to a wildfire and being able to "feel the heat, see the flames and smell the smoke". Germany and other European nations "probably see a little bit of smoke over the horizon and not more," Breuer said. The general added a call to action, urging fellow Nato nations to rebuild their militaries. He said: "What we have to do now is really to lean in an to tell everybody: 'Hey, ramp up [...] get more into it because we need it. "We need it to be able to defend ourselves and therefore also to build up deterrence." Recognising this need, the British government announced that the UK will build a dozen new nuclear submarines armed with Tomohawk missiles. The will also be bolstered, with saying the deterrent is 'what Putin fears most'. The government is in talks with US officials over the move, which would be the UK's biggest deterrent development since the . The news came as part of the strategic defence review , designed to get Britain moving "to war-fighting readiness". 7 General Carsten Breuer, Germany's Chief of Defence, said Europe must be ready to defend against Russia by 2029 Credit: Rex 7 Pictures show a huge stockpile of FPV drones hidden inside a secret compartment in a container Credit: 24 TV/SBU 7 Russian Tu-95 bombers burning 'en masse' during Ukraine's drone sting Credit: Ukraine's Security Service Starmer will say during a trip to Scotland: 'From the supply lines to the front lines, this government is four-square behind the men and women upholding our freedom and security.' Up to 12 nuclear-powered subs will be built under the AUKUS security partnership with the US and Australia. They are conventionally-armed with They can also deploy special forces and drones . Russia's weapon stocks took a hit over the weekend when a daring Ukrainian drone plot blitzed 34 percent of Putin's cruise missile carriers, according to Read more on the Irish Sun And a raging Putin is now said to be preparing for a terrifying revenge attack. What was 'Operation Spiderweb'? OVER the weekend, Ukraine launched a highly-sophisticated, meticulously-planned drone attack inside Russia. It marks Kyiv's longest-range operation of the conflict so far. The plot involved 117 drones which had been smuggled into Russia inside trucks. President Zelensky revealed it took over 18 months to pull off the masterful attack and hailed it as one for the "history books". Over 100 drones were involved, each with their own pilot. Zelesnsky also revealed the headquarters of the operation were "right next to the FSB", Russia's security service. At least 40 aircraft were attacked, and Zelensky claimed that 34 percent of Putin's cruise missile carriers at the targeted airfields were blasted. A £260million AWACS aircraft and bombers capable of dropping nuclear weapons were also struck. Ukrainian sources say that more than £1.5billion worth of damage has been inflicted on the Russian air force.
