Over 30,000 illegal Afghans repatriated from Pakistans Quetta
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
India warns Pakistan of ‘painful consequences' to any misadventure
New Delhi: India on Thursday warned Pakistan of 'painful consequences' in the event of any misadventure, responding to 'war-mongering and hateful comments' from Pakistan's civilian and military leadership—particularly army chief field marshal Asim Munir's nuclear threats. On Tuesday, Shehbaz Sharif promised to 'teach India a lesson' if it interferes with Pakistan's water supply. (Representative photo) External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while addressing a weekly media briefing, subtly alluded to India's military response during Operation Sindoor when commenting on recent aggressive rhetoric from Pakistan, including statements by Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and defence minister Khawaja Asif. 'We have seen reports regarding a continuing pattern of reckless, war-mongering and hateful comments from Pakistani leadership against India,' Jaiswal said. 'Pakistan would be well advised to temper its rhetoric, as any misadventure will have painful consequences, as was demonstrated recently.' He added that it is a 'well-known modus operandi of the Pakistani leadership to whip up anti-India rhetoric time and again to hide their own failures.' Since last week, Pakistan's leadership has escalated its rhetoric over issues ranging from threats to use nuclear weapons to the possibility of war if India restricts the flow of cross-border rivers amid the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Munir, elevated to field marshal following four days of hostilities with India in May, reportedly told the Pakistani diaspora in the US last week that Pakistan could use its nuclear weapons to take down India and 'half the world' in case of an existential threat, and would use missiles to destroy Indian dams on shared rivers. Also read: Outcome of India-Pakistan conflict: Much to be pleased about, much to learn On Tuesday, Shehbaz Sharif promised to 'teach India a lesson' if it interferes with Pakistan's water supply. 'I want to tell the enemy today that if you threaten to stop our water, keep this in mind—you cannot snatch even one drop from Pakistan,' he said. At a related event on Wednesday marking Pakistan's response to Operation Sindoor, Sharif announced the creation of an 'Army Rocket Force Command' to enhance missile combat capabilities. A senior official told Reuters that the force, meant for conventional conflict, 'is obvious that it is meant for India.' Asif stated over the weekend that any violation of Pakistan's sovereignty would provoke a 'swift, surefire and proportionate response.' Meanwhile, former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari described India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as an 'attack,' affirming that Pakistan would not back down if forced into war. India initially responded to Munir's nuclear threats by warning that such rhetoric sparks doubts about Pakistan's nuclear command-control integrity, given its military's proximity to terrorist groups. The ministry reiterated that India will not succumb to nuclear blackmail. Also Read: Pakistan took 48 hours to admit intrusion, refused to take back body initially: BSF Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by The Resistance Front (a proxy for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba), India applied punitive diplomatic and economic measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and launching Operation Sindoor on May 7. Four days of hostilities followed, ending with a mutual understanding on May 10. Jaiswal also rejected a recent ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which instructed India to 'let flow' waters of western rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty. 'India has never accepted the legality, legitimacy or competence of the so‑called Court of Arbitration. Its pronouncements are therefore without jurisdiction, devoid of legal standing, and have no bearing on India's rights of utilisation,' he said. He added that India rejects Pakistan's 'selective and misleading references to the so-called 'award.'' Referring to India's June 27 statement that the Indus Waters Treaty 'stands in abeyance,' Jaiswal noted it was a sovereign decision motivated by 'Pakistan's continued sponsorship of cross‑border terrorism, including the barbaric Pahalgam attack.' India has not participated in arbitration proceedings since Pakistan challenged components of the Kishanganga (330 MW) and Ratle (850 MW) hydropower projects under the treaty. While the World Bank appointed both a neutral expert and a Court of Arbitration in 2016, India only recognized and engaged with the neutral expert, rejecting the Court of Arbitration.
Economic Times
16 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Modi heads to China — a delicate step in the dragon-elephant tango
Synopsis Amidst fragile relations and border tensions, Prime Minister Modi's upcoming visit to China signals a calculated step in geopolitics. Facilitated by a pact at the BRICS summit, the visit, tied to the SCO summit, aims to foster regional stability and address trade imbalances. India navigates complex relationships, balancing engagement with China and continued collaboration with the US. Just a year ago, the idea of Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting China would have seemed far-fetched. Relations between the two nations were fragile. The border in eastern Ladakh was quiet but tense, with troop disengagement at key friction points still incomplete. Fast forward to 2025, and Modi's upcoming trip to Tianjin feels less like a gamble and more like a calculated step in a complex geopolitical dance. The foundation for this cautious reset was laid last October, when Modi and President Xi Jinping agreed at the BRICS summit that 'disputes and differences would not be allowed to disturb border peace.' That pact has held firm, setting the stage for Modi's visit, official confirmation aside. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to visit India next week to meet NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. visit is officially tied to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, a 10-member Eurasian security grouping led by China and Russia, often seen as a counterweight to NATO. Modi's last trip to China, in 2018, was also SCO-related. India's position in the SCO is unique, it refrains from endorsing projects like the Belt and Road Initiative and keeps its distance from China-centric economic roadmaps. Yet the SCO serves India's interests, from counterterrorism in Afghanistan to promoting connectivity that respects sovereignty and strengthening ties with Central Asia. Modi has used the SCO Heads of State Council meetings to spotlight cross-border terrorism, without directly naming Pakistan. The forum has also become a neutral space for India and China to engage after tensions spiked in 2020's Galwan clash. The so-called 'Moscow Consensus,' reached months after Galwan during an SCO foreign ministers' meeting, is a clear example. President Xi's participation in the 2023 SCO summit Modi hosted virtually further cemented the platform's hasn't attended every SCO summit. He skipped the Kazakhstan meeting last year. This trip signals recognition of the Tianjin summit's importance to China and the global stage. It's not just about bilateral ties, it's about maintaining a steady hand in regional geopolitics and securing support for India's upcoming BRICS policy has occasionally complicated India's external engagements, but the India-China thaw started long before trade tensions hit. Agreements to end the military standoff in eastern Ladakh were reached before the US elections. Modi's China visit conveys a clear message: India is ready for a functional relationship with Beijing, as long as border stability is preserved.'When NSA Doval visited China last December, both sides agreed to maintain peace on the ground so that 'issues on the border do not hold back the normal development of bilateral relations,'' the reports note. India has maintained this balance despite China's military ties with Pakistan or tensions in the South China Modi-Xi meeting could include announcements like resuming direct flights and rebuilding trust in trade, investment, and technology. India hopes China will ease trade restrictions and increase imports to reduce the $100 billion trade deficit. China, for its part, seeks a transparent, non-discriminatory environment for its companies.'The dragon-elephant tango may have just started, but in these circumstances, it will remain accident-prone,' analysts say, recalling highs and lows, from the early Modi years to Doklam, informal summits, and Galwan. Modi's recent remark, endorsed by Beijing, that 'competition should not be allowed to turn into conflict,' signals the cautious approach both sides are aiming visit doesn't mean India is abandoning the US. Modi has met Xi at previous SCO summits without affecting India's strategic autonomy. Today, attention is heightened because of US-India trade tensions, including tariffs on Indian oil imports from Russia. Yet India continues to pursue defence, technology, and energy collaboration with the China visit asserts India's position against unilateralism while keeping the door open with America. A potential resolution in Ukraine could also ease some tariff will closely monitor three issues: The US's continued commitment to the Indo-Pacific amid potential trade concessions with China, particularly as India hosts the upcoming Quad summit in November. Counterterrorism cooperation, which may be affected by the US recalibrating its Pakistan policy. The proposed H-1B visa overhaul, which could impact Indian professionals in IT and healthcare, potentially straining people-to-people and economic ties. These challenges will test India's diplomatic finesse and its ability to balance competing global priorities. With inputs from TOI
Hans India
16 minutes ago
- Hans India
Temper rhetoric, any misadventure will have painful consequences: India warns Pakistan
New Delhi: India on Thursday slammed Pakistan over its continuous "reckless, war-mongering and hateful comments" against New Delhi, terming it a "well-known modus operandi" of Pakistani leadership to whip up "anti-India" rhetoric to hide its own failures. While addressing a weekly media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also warned Pakistan of "painful consequences" in case it engages in any misadventure. "We have seen several statements. We have seen reports regarding a continuing pattern of reckless, war-mongering and hateful comments from Pakistani leadership against India. It is well-known modus operandi of the Pakistani leadership to whip up anti-India rhetoric time and again to hide their own failures. Pakistan would be well-advised to temper its rhetoric, as any misadventure will have painful consequences, as was demonstrated recently," said Jaiswal in response to a question on the recent controversial statements made by Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir. The MEA's strong response came after Munir during his recent visit to the United States warned that Pakistan will never allow India to choke the Indus River and will defend its water rights at all costs even if its forces will have to destroy any dam that India sought to build on it. "We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it ... The Indus River is not the Indians' family property. We have no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river," Munir was quoted as saying by leading Pakistani daily Dawn at an event organised by members of the Pakistani-American community in Tampa, Florida, last week. India, which has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail, had earlier reacted strongly to the comments made by Munir. On Monday, Jaiswal stated, "Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade. The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups." In the statement, MEA also expressed regret that these remarks were made in a friendly third nation. "It is also regrettable that these remarks should have 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 MEA statement mentioned. Earlier in April, India had hit out strongly at the Pakistani Army Chief for referring Kashmir as Islamabad's "jugular vein". "See, how can anything foreign be their jugular vein? This is a Union Territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally-occupied territories by that country," said Jaiswal during a regular media briefing on April 17.
