Col (r) Ikram Ullah Khan
(As a sequel to my earlier writing on the same topic).
The melodramatic denouement of the recent Pak-India conflict has not only shattered the long-held hegemonic ambitions of India which it has been harbouring for the last five decades but has also recalibrated the balance of power in South Asia which remained heavily tilted towards India until 10 May 2025. It has stripped India of its assumed posture of a regional superpower, thus rewriting the geostrategic history of South Asia.
The asymmetry that exists between the two old adversaries of the subcontinent in terms of population, size of the economy and military might with five to one ratio, had turned India’s head, and apparently, the odds seemed in favour of India in the event of any military showdown.
Before 10 May 2025, the world viewed India through the prism of a regional hegemon, with Pakistan figuring no where near it. But the topsy-turvy that the world witnessed on 10 May came as a bolt from the blue for all of them, thus leaving them with their jaws dropped. World perception of India\’s supremacy over its archrival has diametrically changed now with Pakistan emerging as the most powerful adversary not to be taken for granted.
It merits a mention here that the world didn’t take Pak-India stand off seriously and the US kept its hands off the conflict terming it a bilateral issue, to begin with. It was only after Pakistan retaliated on 10 May that attracted the world’s attention and the US decided to intervene which resulted in a ceasefire and averted a nuclear war. The tit-for-tat plus response from Pakistan made Modi read the writing on the wall.
The Pak-India war has made one thing decidedly clear that it\’s not the numerical superiority, large arsenal of modern weaponry and war technology that brings you victory, rather it\’s the rigorous training, expertise in and skillful use of the latest warfare technology, righteousness of the cause, national cohesion and above all, an unwavering faith in Allah (SWT) that make you vanquish the adversary.
With the proverbial boot being on the other foot now, Modi seems to have sensed his weakness. He finds himself between the hammer and the anvil. He needs to realize that India is no more in a bullying position, hence needs to behave humbly. It’s about time that Modi got off his high horse, kept both feet on the ground, sat with his Pakistani counterpart and held a comprehensive dialogue to resolve all long-standing issues including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir which is the mother of all issues. South Asia has become a nuclear flashpoint. There is an urgent need to resolve all the contentious issues between the two countries before the balloon goes up.
With the repeated false flag operations conducted by India and laying the blame at Pakistan’s door, Islamabad’s patience seems to have exhausted. It has now decided to take on India head on, come what may. The Indian leadership must see reason and behave rationally instead of opening new fronts which can only exacerbate the already complicated situation, and which has the potential to spiral out of control if not dealt with diplomatically. The leadership on both sides need to iron out mutual differences and remove all the irritants through dialogue and diplomacy. Both sides need to understand that both the countries being nuclear power, none of them will emerge as a winner in the event of a full-fledged war.
The Pak-India war has come as a blessing in disguise for Pakistan as it has unified a polarized nation and the entire nation displayed a remarkable unity, cohesion, willpower and resilience, and stood behind its valiant armed forces like a rock which brought a whopping great victory.
The exemplary courage, dogged determination, extraordinary will, unbeatable steadfastness and perfect coordination displayed by both the civil and military leadership deserves rich tribute. Moreover, the unwavering faith and confidence which the entire nation reposed in the civil and military leadership played a crucial role to turn the tables on the adversary.
War is something not to be wished for, but when it becomes inevitable then fight back with all available might and sinews of war that you have at your disposal and don\’t back down.
Pakistan Zindabad.