'Pakistan Dangles Nuclear Bogie To Get Us All Excited & Nervous': Shashi Tharoor In US

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Tharoor, while speaking at a public discussion with former US ambassador Kenneth I Juster, urged against undue worry, reinforcing India's strategic nuclear doctrine
During a recent public discussion with Kenneth I Juster, the former US ambassador to India, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor offered a nuanced perspective on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India's robust response against Pakistan with Operation Sindoor, particularly addressing concerns about potential nuclear escalation.
Tharoor began by providing context for his international engagements, noting his privilege in leading a ' multi-party delegation ', underscoring that while not encompassing all 41 parties in the Lok Sabha, his group represents five significant political entities. This delegation embarked on a tour of several nations, including Guyana, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, and the United States, to effectively communicate India's anti-terror stance.
Tharoor highlighted a poignant moment during the team's visit to New York. 'When we first landed in New York, we went to the 9/11 memorial and that I think set the tone for the trip because we wanted to situate this problem right there in solidarity with victims of terrorism from around the world," he said.
Transitioning to the immediate aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and India's response, Tharoor dismissed any suggestion of nuclear escalation, terming it 'laughable". He said that the incident fell 'so far short of anything remotely approaching to a nuclear threshold". Tharoor attributed such fears to what he termed a 'nuclear bogie" often dangled by 'our Pakistani friends to get all of us excited and anxious".
To substantiate his argument, Tharoor drew parallels with ongoing global conflicts. 'I mean, we have a nuclear power engaged in a war for 2.5 years in Europe, and no one has talked about nukes yet. Why would 2.5 days in India suddenly lead to fears of nuclear escalation?" he said, pointing to the Russia-Ukraine war.
He further reminded the audience of the historical context of India-Pakistan relations, noting four past wars between the two nations. He pointed to the Kargil War of 1999, which occurred after both countries had declared themselves nuclear powers and lasted for a month, yet 'nobody talked about nukes".
Tharoor concluded by urging against undue worry, reinforcing India's strategic nuclear doctrine: 'India, by the way, has already declared its policy of 'No First Use'." This policy, he implied, serves as a strong deterrent against any preemptive nuclear action, ensuring that India would not be the one to 'brandish a nuclear threat".
(With PTI inputs)
First Published:
June 05, 2025, 20:08 IST