New red line for terror: Indian, Pakistani Generals share warnings at Shangri-La

India Today

2 days ago

India and Pakistan's top military leaders exchanged stern warnings and outlined national red lines at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore amid heightened diplomatic efforts and strategic recalibration following last month's brief but intense military clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.The simmering tensions that culminated in April's deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on Pakistan-based militants, were palpable at the conference, as both countries used the global platform to justify their positions and strategic actions.advertisementChief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, highlighted India's new doctrine of zero tolerance toward terrorism, citing Operation Sindoor, the military response launched on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
'What India has done, politically, they have drawn a new red line of intolerance against terror,' said Gen Chauhan."I hope, this particular operation, it's basically lying in military domain, that should bring about some lessons for our adversary also, and hopefully they learn that this is a limit of India's tolerance," he added.Operation Sindoor followed the April 22 terror attack that claimed 26 lives and sparked a four-day cross-border conflict that concluded on May 10."We have been subjected to this proxy war of terror for almost two decades and more, and we lost lot of people...we want to put an end to it," he said.advertisementPakistan, however, rejected the accusations and issued stern warnings about the dangers of escalating confrontations.General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, warned, 'The strategic stability with the lowering of this threshold to dangerous levels... there could be a possibility that before the international community intervenes... the damage and destruction may have already taken place.'Despite the rhetoric, both sides have shifted gears diplomatically. India sent multiple delegations globally to gather support and shape the international narrative. Congress leader and former Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid, part of a delegation visiting Singapore, called it an unprecedented diplomatic campaign.'It is an innovation... and we've got enormous support,' Khurshid said. 'You might even put it as something that will at least ensure that our narrative is carried right through.'Pakistan is expected to launch a similar diplomatic outreach starting June 2.Gen Mirza maintained Pakistan's commitment to tackling terrorism, including cross-border threats originating from Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, and highlighted the steep cost terrorism has exacted from Pakistan, in both economic and human terms.'Terrorism has cost us hundreds of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives,' Mirza said.The recent conflict was also seen as a test of military technology, with India employing French-made Rafale jets and Pakistan using Chinese J10-C fighters. Both generals underscored their nations' multi-sourced military capabilities.advertisement'India doesn't depend on one nation for its defence needs,' said Chauhan.'I have military equipment from the US, Turkiye, Italy, the UK...' said Mirza, emphasiSing Pakistan's global defense ties.As both countries continue moderniSing their arsenals with AI, drones, cyber tools and precision weaponry, concerns remain high over the potential for rapid escalation. However, both nations denied that nuclear weapons were considered during the conflict.'The tools of modern conflict are artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, cyber, precision, firepower and weapons,' Mirza concluded.With inputs from PTITune InMust Watch