India has issued a chilling four-word nuke warning to Pakistan as its operation in Kashmir is “paused”. Ravi Shankar Prasad, an MP from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was in London this morning as part of a visiting delegation. The Express asked him if he there was a risk of further violence, and even a nuclear escalation, between India and its neighbour. He said: “The nuclear bluff of Pakistan has been called out.” Mr Prasad added that, “nothing happened” after a month, and his country’s policy is “no first use”. India is “responsible nuclear power”, he said, but then warning: “We are capable of responding.”
Before taking questions from the media, the MP described “Operation Sindoor”, which was activated after the killing of 26 people by gunmen in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir in April, an act that Pakistan has denied responsiblity for, is “paused, not stopped”. This is dependent on “good behaviour” from India’s neighbour, Mr Prasad said.
“We do not wish to escalate,” he added, also calling for “global unanimity” behind India’s viewpoint.
Prasad also insisted that India’s attacks against what have been decribed as “terrorist camps” have been “proportionate”.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has described India’s narrative as false.
He suggested to Sky News on April 25 that India had “staged” the shooting, adding: “If there is an all-out attack or something like that, then obviously there will be an all-out war.”
The minister also said: “The clash between two nuclear powers is always worrisome… If things get wrong, there could be a tragic outcome of this confrontation.”
A ceasefire appears to be at the moment holding between the two countries.
The US President Donald Trump announced the “full and immediate” ceasefire on his Truth Social Platform on May 10, which he said had been brokered by the US.
Pakistan’s foreign minister confirmed later that the agreement had been reached by the two countries, and that “three dozen countries” were involved in talks.
On June 1, General Anil Chauhan, India’s chief of defence staff, admitted that a number of its jets were shot down during the military exchanges with Pakistan last month.