How India and Pakistan are preparing for the next conflict
India from
Pakistan , the aftermath of five days of aerial combat hangs in the air, thick with uncertainty. The conflict's true legacy may be a dangerous new normal, analysts say – one where escalation is only ever a provocation away.
New Delhi maintains that Operation Sindoor – launched in response to a deadly terrorist attack in disputed Kashmir
in April that it blamed on Islamabad – is far from concluded, hinting at the possibility of further punitive actions.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has
promoted its army chief of staff , Asim Munir, to field marshal for what it regards as a successful defence of the nation between May 7 and 11.
Officials in Islamabad insist the country stands ready for renewed clashes, but caution that any escalation risks plunging both nations into a nuclear-armed stand-off. Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has vowed not to succumb to what he calls Pakistan's 'nuclear blackmail'.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi salutes servicemen at an air base in Punjab on May 13. Photo: Indian Press Information Bureau/EPA-EFE
Any future confrontation could unfold in myriad ways, analysts say, shaped by the evolving strengths and vulnerabilities of both militaries.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China's Wang Yi appeals for shared vision of partnership and opportunity on India trip
Speaking to his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in New Delhi on Monday, Wang said that both countries should 'put each other's precious resources into development and revitalisation'. 'China and India should explore the right path of treating each other with mutual respect and trust, living in peace, pursuing development together and achieving win–win cooperation … and consolidate the momentum of improving China-India relations,' he said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout. 02:29 Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets According to The Economic Times, an Indian media outlet, China has promised to address India's three concerns, namely 'rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines', citing sources. Wang's trip marked another milestone in ties between China and India, which dropped to a historic low after a deadly border clash in 2020. The two countries are now seeing their relationship improve as they both also face an uphill trade war with the US. According to India's foreign ministry, the top diplomats' conversation included various topics, including economic and trade issues, pilgrimages, people-to-people contacts, border trade, the sharing of river data and connectivity. After arriving on Monday, the Chinese foreign minister held talks about the border with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday and is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day. Jaishankar, for his part, said Beijing and Delhi had to engage in 'mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest', and said 'differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict'.
RTHK
20 hours ago
- RTHK
Wang Yi arrives in India to bolster ties
Wang Yi arrives in India to bolster ties Wang Yi will hold talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during his visit to New Delhi. File photo: Reuters China's top diplomat landed in India on Monday, seeking to bolster long-fraught relations in the face of intense pressure and tariffs from the United States. Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks with his counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his three-day visit to New Delhi. Modi, according to Indian media, might also visit China this month. India's foreign ministry said in a social media post that "important engagements of the India-China Special Representatives and on bilateral relations" were scheduled over the next two days. Restarting border trade across their icy and high-altitude Himalayan border is expected to feature high on Wang's agenda. Its resumption would be significant for its symbolism, and follows agreements to return direct flights and issue tourist visas. (AFP)
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Will a Russia-Ukraine peace deal save India from US tariffs?
With US tariffs threatening India's exports, the prospect of a Russia-Ukraine peace deal has become more than a distant hope – it may be New Delhi's best chance for some economic breathing room, analysts say. A summit in Alaska on Friday between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin failed to yield a breakthrough, but Trump later called the talks 'productive' and Putin suggested hosting a follow-up meeting in Moscow. Trump is set to host another separate summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday. For India, whose exports to the US face a 25 per cent tariff – and the threat of twice that over its purchases of Russian oil – the outcome of these diplomatic overtures will have far-reaching consequences. Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin go to shake hands after a press conference in 2018. Photo: AP 'If Trump and Putin are able to strike a deal, then it will certainly reduce pressure on India and the whole debate on secondary sanctions on India becomes redundant,' said Harsh Pant, professor of international relations at King's College London.
