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India Today
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
How Pakistan rhetoric threatens nuclear non-attack pact with India
Pakistan, in its continuing escalation of rhetoric over Operation Sindoor, has threatened to suspend all bilateral agreements with India, including the critical India-Pakistan Non-Attack Agreement on Nuclear Installations, amidst rising tensions triggered by India's decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in threat has brought the longstanding nuclear accord, a cornerstone of regional nuclear stability, into sharp focus, raising concerns in diplomatic and security circles provocative move followed a stark warning from its ambassador to Russia Muhammad Khalid Jamali, who on May 4 stated that Islamabad 'would use nuclear weapons' if India launched military action. The statement has deepened anxiety over South Asia's fragile nuclear stability and pushed the 1988 nuclear non-attack agreement to the centre of geopolitical Minister Narendra Modi, in his recent address to the nation, sent a strong message in response to what he called Pakistan's 'nuclear blackmail'. 'India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. We have only kept in abeyance our operations against Pakistan; the future will depend on their behaviour. Operation Sindoor is now India's new policy against terrorism— a new line has been drawn,' Modi declared, signalling a hardened stance. The India-Pakistan Non-Attack Agreement, signed on December 31, 1988, and in force since January 27, 1991, mandates both nations to refrain from attacking each other's nuclear facilities and to exchange lists of such installations annually on January 1. This confidence-building measure—one of the few to survive decades of conflict—saw its 34th consecutive exchange this year, as confirmed by the ministry of external affairs on January agreement encompasses a wide range of nuclear facilities, including research reactors, uranium enrichment plants, fuel fabrication units and other establishments dealing with radioactive materials. Over the years, it has stood as a rare pillar of restraint and transparency, even during periods of intense hostility between the two nuclear-armed Pakistan's renewed nuclear posturing and threats to revoke the pact have reignited international concerns. The nuclear flashpoint has prompted questions not just about regional stability but also about Islamabad's nuclear in 2022, US president Joe Biden had labelled Pakistan as 'the most dangerous country in the world', citing its nuclear arsenal and lack of internal cohesion. The same year, the US commerce department blacklisted Pakistani firms for diverting items to its nuclear programme, adding fuel to international after the pause in military offensive between India and Pakistan, defence minister Rajnath Singh, while addressing troops in Kashmir, openly questioned whether nuclear weapons were 'safe in the hands of an irresponsible and rogue nation' and called upon the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to supervise Pakistan's nuclear media speculation about whether Indian military strikes during Operation Sindoor had hit Pakistan's Kirana Hills—a known nuclear site—the IAEA clarified that there was no radiation leak or nuclear incident in Pakistan. The Indian Air Force (IAF) also denied targeting any nuclear facility, with Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, director general air operations, stating categorically: 'We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.'advertisementAccording to a 2024 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India currently holds 172 nuclear warheads, slightly up from 164 in 2023, while Pakistan's count stands at 170, unchanged from last year. However, Pakistan's ally China has surged way ahead, amassing 500 warheads, adding a complex third dimension to South Asia's nuclear the diplomatic fallout deepens, global attention is now fixated on whether Pakistan will formally suspend the nuclear non-attack pact—a move that could unravel one of the last remaining safety valves in a volatile neighbourhood already on the to India Today MagazineTune InMust Watch
News18
15-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Kirana Hills, Fake Memos, Trump's Claim: Lessons From Fog Of Latest India-Pak Tensions
Last Updated: Deterrence isn't just about missiles. It's about managing perception, resisting provocation, and doubling down on verifiable facts in a world flooded with noise In the fog of geopolitical brinkmanship, narratives often travel faster than facts. The recent controversy surrounding India's Operation Sindoor, speculation about strikes near Pakistan's Kirana Hills, and a viral memo alleging a radiation leak is a case study in how modern conflict plays out as much online as it does on the ground. At the heart of the issue lies the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack—one of the most devastating attacks in Kashmir in recent years—which claimed 26 innocent lives. India's swift and targeted military response on May 7–10, dubbed Operation Sindoor, was both a statement of resolve and a calculated exercise in escalation management. But what followed was a potent mix of misinformation, nuclear anxiety, and diplomatic chest-thumping, particularly from an all-too-familiar quarter—US President Donald Trump. The Kirana Hills Mirage Let's be clear: India did not strike Pakistan's Kirana Hills. Talk of nuclear escalation had been circulating for days—well before a journalist raised the issue at a military briefing. Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti's deadpan response—'Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation. We did not know about it"—was not just a denial; it was a subtle rebuke to speculative journalism and the dangers of loose talk in moments of military tension. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) confirms that India's strikes were surgical and deliberate—focused on terrorist launchpads and strategic military infrastructure like the Sargodha Air Base, not sensitive nuclear sites. Kirana Hills is significant, no doubt. Believed to be a fortified nuclear storage complex and located dangerously close to some of the Indian strike zones, it sits atop a pile of both paranoia and military calculus. But India's adherence to the 1988 India-Pakistan Non-Attack Agreement (NAA), which prohibits targeting each other's nuclear facilities, has remained intact. That fact matters—strategically, diplomatically, and morally. Enter the now-debunked 'Radiological Safety Bulletin." A document that cited the wrong isotope— Indium -192 instead of Iridium -192—and was riddled with vague geography and absent official seals. It was a masterclass in disinformation: specific enough to provoke panic, but flimsy enough to be discredited with a few clicks. Fact-checkers moved quickly. No radiation spikes. No IAEA alerts. No hospital admissions. No official acknowledgement from Pakistan. Just a viral hoax linked to a convenient narrative—that India had sparked a near-nuclear incident. This wasn't merely misinformation; it was weaponised doubt, likely seeded to erode India's moral high ground and sow chaos in public discourse. Trump's 'Brokered Ceasefire': Theatrics Or Truth? And then, Donald Trump entered the chat. On May 10, Trump took to Truth Social to claim that his administration had 'averted a nuclear war" between India and Pakistan, crediting himself, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for brokering a ceasefire 'that could have saved millions." There's truth to the fact that the US played a behind-the-scenes diplomatic role. High-level calls were made. Cooler heads were urged to prevail. But India's Ministry of External Affairs swiftly rejected claims that the ceasefire resulted from American pressure—or trade leverage. According to Indian officials, the decision to de-escalate was coordinated directly with Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations. So why did Trump inflate his role? Perhaps to posture strength ahead of elections. Perhaps to resurrect an image of himself as the world's last great dealmaker. But what he actually did was hijack a sensitive moment between two nuclear-armed nations for political theatre. And in doing so, he undermined the complex, calibrated diplomacy that had actually prevented a wider war. The Real Danger: Narrative Overload This episode reveals something deeply unsettling: the speed and volume of conflicting narratives have made it nearly impossible for the average citizen to discern truth from fiction. One journalist's question about Kirana Hills became a firestorm. One forged memo ignited radiation fears. One politician's self-congratulatory post triggered a new layer of geopolitical spin. In an age of information warfare, perception management is as potent as missile deployment. Misinformation doesn't just confuse—it provokes, escalates, and polarises. And in South Asia, where historical wounds and nuclear doctrines coexist in precarious balance, such manipulation is a loaded weapon. What Should Matter Most India, for its part, walked a tightrope. It responded with military precision, asserted its right to defend its citizens, and simultaneously avoided a full-scale escalation by stopping short of targeting nuclear assets. That restraint matters. Pakistan, though initially reactive, also agreed to a ceasefire. While ceasefire violations did follow, calm was quickly restored—a testament to how even adversaries can recognise the abyss when they stare into it. And as for the US—credit is due for quiet diplomacy, not for Trump's hyperbole. Global leadership in times of crisis means working behind the scenes, not tweeting for applause. In Conclusion The Kirana Hills controversy wasn't just about whether India hit a nuclear facility or whether a memo was real. It was a moment that revealed how vulnerable modern conflict is to distortion—and how quickly narratives can spiral into existential panic. For India and Pakistan, the lesson is clear: deterrence isn't just about missiles. It's about managing perception, resisting provocation, and doubling down on verifiable facts in a world flooded with noise. And for global players—especially those with a taste for spectacle—the responsibility is even greater. Because in South Asia, missteps don't just cost credibility. They cost lives. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. tags : donald trump Misinformation Operation Sindoor pahalgam terror attack Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 15, 2025, 16:16 IST News opinion Opinion | Kirana Hills, Fake Memos, Trump's Claim: Lessons From Fog Of Latest India-Pak Tensions
