'Sixteen hours' that reshaped South Asia
The Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), a leading Islamabad-based think tank, has released a detailed report on the 2025 Pakistan-India standoff, describing it as a turning point that reaffirmed Pakistan's strategic deterrence and exposed what it called a "monumental miscalculation" by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Titled "16 Hours that reshaped South Asia: How Modi's miscalculation led to Pakistan's primacy", the 25-page report was launched by PCI Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed. He described the confrontation as "India's most serious setback since Nehru's defeat in the 1962 war with China".
The report analyses the regional implications of the conflict that followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, tracing events through to the eventual ceasefire.
According to PCI, Pakistan's armed forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar, responded with flawless inter-service coordination and strategic clarity.
Hussain praised the military's use of sophisticated technology, including electronic warfare tools, claiming Pakistan achieved cyber supremacy during the confrontation. He also highlighted the role of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), crediting their professionalism, training, and operational skill as vital to the successful response.
Calling the episode "Pakistan's finest hour" since the 1998 nuclear testsduring which he served as Information MinisterSenator Hussain said the state exhibited "perfect planning, perfect coordination and perfect execution", further enhanced by deft diplomacy and effective media messaging.
The report's cover, featuring images of JF-17 Thunder and J-10C fighter jets, symbolises Pakistan's advanced military capabilities. It also underlines China's pivotal support, noting that under President Xi Jinping, Beijing stood by Pakistan "like a solid rock".
The United States also received praise. Hussain credited President Donald Trump with brokering the ceasefire and helping revive the Kashmir issue on the international stage, which the report described as a blow to India's diplomatic standing.
The think tank recommends a comprehensive strategic approach based on three pillars: proactive regional diplomacy, "creative lawfare" on issues like the Indus Waters Treaty, and global narrative shaping through think tanks, media, and diplomatic engagement.
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