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Arab News
3 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Pakistan, India close to completing border troop reduction, senior Pakistani general says
SINGAPORE: Pakistan and India are close to reducing the troop build up along their border to levels before conflict erupted between the nuclear-armed neighbors this month, a top Pakistani military official told Reuters on Friday, although he warned the crisis had increased the risk of escalation in the future. Both sides used fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery in four days of clashes, their worst fighting in decades, before a ceasefire was announced. The spark for the latest fighting between the old enemies was an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. New Delhi blamed the incident on 'terrorists' backed by Pakistan, a charge denied by Islamabad. On May 7, India launched missiles at what it said were 'terrorist infrastructure' sites across the border and as Pakistan responded with its own attacks, both countries built up additional forces along the frontier. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Pakistan's chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said the two militaries had started the process of drawing down troop levels. 'We have almost come back to the pre-22nd April situation... we are approaching that, or we must have approached that by now,' said Mirza, the most senior Pakistani military official to speak publicly since the conflict. India's ministry of defense and the office of the Indian chief of defense staff did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the remarks by Mirza. Mirza, who is in Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue forum, said while there was no move toward nuclear weapons during this conflict, it was a dangerous situation. 'Nothing happened this time,' he said. 'But you can't rule out any strategic miscalculation at any time, because when the crisis is on, the responses are different.' He also said the risk of escalation in the future had increased since the fighting this time was not limited to the disputed territory of Kashmir, the scenic region in the Himalayas that both nations rule in part but claim in full. The two sides attacked military installations in their mainlands but neither has acknowledged any serious damage. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Pakistan this month that New Delhi would target 'terrorist hideouts' across the border again if there were new attacks on India. 'DANGEROUS TREND' The two countries have fought three major wars, two of them over Kashmir, and numerous armed skirmishes since both were born out of British colonial India in 1947. New Delhi blames Pakistan for an insurgency in India-administered part of Kashmir that began in 1989 and has killed tens of thousands. Pakistan says it provides only moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination. 'This (conflict) lowers the threshold between two countries who are contiguous nuclear the future, it will not be restricted to the disputed territory. It would come down to (the) whole of India and (the) whole of Pakistan,' Mirza said. 'This is a very dangerous trend.' Reuters has reported that the rapid escalation of hostilities ended in part because of behind-the-scenes diplomacy involving the US, India and Pakistan, and the key role played by Washington in brokering peace. India has denied any third-party role in the ceasefire and said that any engagement between India and Pakistan has to be bilateral. But Mirza warned that international mediation might be difficult in the future because of a lack of crisis management mechanisms between the countries. 'The time window for the international community to intervene would now be very less, and I would say that damage and destruction may take place even before that time window is exploited by the international community,' he said. Pakistan was open to dialogue, he added, but beyond a crisis hotline between the directors general of military operations and some hotlines at the tactical level on the border, there was no other communication between the two countries. India's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday 'talks and terror don't go together' in response to a question on the possibility of dialogue with Pakistan. Mirza said there were no backchannel discussions, or informal talks, to ease tensions. He also said he had no plans to meet General Anil Chauhan, India's chief of defense staff, who is also in Singapore for the Shangri-La forum. 'These issues can only be resolved by dialogue and consultations, on the table. They cannot be resolved on the battlefield,' Mirza said.
India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
China gave Pakistan air defense support during clash with India
Beijing aided Islamabad with aerial protection and a reconnaissance system, according to an Indian think tank China provided Pakistan with air defense and satellite support during its recent military confrontation with India, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing a think tank affiliated with the Indian Defense Ministry. Ashok Kumar, director general at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies in New Delhi, said China assisted Pakistan in reorganizing its radar and air defense systems, enabling them to more effectively detect Indian troop and weaponry deployments, according to the report. "It helped them to redeploy their air defense radar so that any actions which we do from the aerial route are known to them," Kumar told Bloomberg. The aid indicates a more direct level of involvement from Beijing than was initially revealed, the report claimed. The think tank added that China also provided assistance to Pakistan in adjusting its satellite coverage over India during the 15-day period between the April 22 terror attacks in India's Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and India's strikes on suspected terror facilities in Pakistan-controlled territory on May 7. China, which called on the South Asian countries to de-escalate during their four-day conflict, has traditionally enjoyed warm defense ties with Pakistan. On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar left for a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to a report by state-owned media outlet Radio Pakistan. Dar will engage in comprehensive talks with his Chinese counterpart, focusing on the changing regional dynamics in South Asia and their potential impact on peace and stability, the report stated. Additionally, the two nations will conduct a thorough review of their relations. Pakistan has admitted using Chinese weapons in the recent standoff, according to reports. However, New Delhi has not publicly commented on Beijing's alleged involvement in the confrontation, which ended with a ceasefire on May 11. China has condemned the April terror attack in Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives, adding that it "opposes all forms of terrorism." READ MORE: Truce or trap? India's calculated calm with Pakistan
Russia Today
19-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
China gave Pakistan air defense support during clash with India
China provided Pakistan with air defense and satellite support during its recent military confrontation with India, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing a think tank affiliated with the Indian Defense Ministry. Ashok Kumar, director general at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies in New Delhi, said China assisted Pakistan in reorganizing its radar and air defense systems, enabling them to more effectively detect Indian troop and weaponry deployments, according to the report. 'It helped them to redeploy their air defense radar so that any actions which we do from the aerial route are known to them,' Kumar told Bloomberg. The aid indicates a more direct level of involvement from Beijing than was initially revealed, the report claimed. The think tank added that China also provided assistance to Pakistan in adjusting its satellite coverage over India during the 15-day period between the April 22 terror attacks in India's Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and India's strikes on suspected terror facilities in Pakistan-controlled territory on May 7. China, which called on the South Asian countries to de-escalate during their four-day conflict, has traditionally enjoyed warm defense ties with Pakistan. On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar left for a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to a report by state-owned media outlet Radio Pakistan. Today, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 arrived in Beijing on a three day official visit from 19-21 May 2025 . He was received at the airport by senior Chinese officials and Ambassador of Pakistan to China, Khalil Hashmi. Dar will engage in comprehensive talks with his Chinese counterpart, focusing on the changing regional dynamics in South Asia and their potential impact on peace and stability, the report stated. Additionally, the two nations will conduct a thorough review of their relations. Wang Yi speaks to India's Doval, urges "calm and restraint" after days of fighting Pakistan has admitted using Chinese weapons in the recent standoff, according to reports. However, New Delhi has not publicly commented on Beijing's alleged involvement in the confrontation, which ended with a ceasefire on May 11. China has condemned the April terror attack in Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives, adding that it 'opposes all forms of terrorism.' On the day the South Asian neighbors negotiated a ceasefire, Wang called Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and expressed hope that India and Pakistan 'would remain calm and restrained, properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation and avoid escalating the situation.'
Russia Today
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Air defense systems in Pakistan neutralized
India has attacked air defense systems in various locations throughout Pakistan in response to Islamabad's attempts to launch cross-border strikes against a number of military targets. Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan said that it had shot down 12 Indian drones overnight, including one that had attacked a military target near Lahore, which is 24 kilometers away from the international border between the countries. 'On the night of 7-8 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India using drones and missiles, all of which were effectively neutralized by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defense systems,' the Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement. 'In response, Indian Armed Forces targeted air defense radars and systems in various locations in Pakistan.' The ministry added that it had been 'reliably learnt that an Air Defense system at Lahore has been neutralized.' The Indian attacks caused damage and wounded soldiers, Pakistani officials were cited as saying by AP. On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India using drones and missiles, all of which were effectively neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. In response, Indian Armed… These developments come a day after New Delhi announced Operation Sindoor and struck what it called 'terrorist infrastructure' in Pakistan and the part of Kashmir it controls, in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. Islamabad has condemned the strikes as a 'heinous provocation' and vowed retaliation. Pakistani troops have been firing across the Line of Control since Wednesday. The de facto border stretches between the parts of Kashmir controlled by the two countries. These hostilities have resulted in the loss of sixteen lives, including five children and three women, according to Indian officials.
India Gazette
08-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
India hits military targets in Pakistan
New Delhi says it has attacked radars and drones in various locations in response to cross-border attacks launched by Islamabad India has attacked air defense systems in various locations throughout Pakistan in response to Islamabad's attempts to launch cross-border strikes against a number of military targets. Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan said that it had shot down 12 Indian drones overnight, including one that had attacked a military target near Lahore, which is 24 kilometers away from the international border between the countries. "On the night of 7-8 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India using drones and missiles, all of which were effectively neutralized by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defense systems," the Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement. "In response, Indian Armed Forces targeted air defense radars and systems in various locations in Pakistan." The ministry added that it had been "reliably learnt that an Air Defense system at Lahore has been neutralized." The Indian attacks causeddamageand wounded soldiers, Pakistani officials were cited as saying by AP. These developments come a day after New Delhi announced Operation Sindoor and struck what it called "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan and the part of Kashmir it controls, in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. Islamabad has condemned the strikes as a "heinous provocation" and vowed retaliation. Pakistani troops have been firing across the Line of Control since Wednesday. The de facto border stretches between the parts of Kashmir controlled by the two countries. These hostilities have resulted in the loss of sixteen lives, including five children and three women, according to Indian officials. (
