- India’s geography will change if misadventure attempts: Asif.
- He says New Delhi is now facing an embarrassing situation on the foreign front.
- Pakistan achieved a “highly reputed status” in the region: defense tsar.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday warned that India would become a part of history and its geography would change if it attempted any future misadventure against Pakistan.
The Minister of Defense made these forceful statements during Geographic news program ““Capital talk” in the context of the recent provocative statement by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.
Objecting to recent provocative comments by the Indian army chief, the defense tsar said General Dwivedi was trying to “regain lost respect” after the humiliating defeat in the 19-day military conflict, which spanned from April 22 to May 10, 2025.
In response to Indian aggression, Pakistan’s armed forces launched a large-scale retaliatory military action, dubbed “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos”, and attacked several Indian military targets in multiple regions.
Pakistan shot down eight Indian fighter jets, including the Rafales, and dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours, the war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.
“As a nation, India believes its esteem has been damaged,” Asif said.
The minister stated that New Delhi was now facing an embarrassing situation on the external front and added that Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, which India considered its “extension”, did not enjoy the same relations with it as before.
On the other hand, he said Pakistan has achieved “a highly reputed status” in the region, adding that New Delhi finds it difficult to digest.
When asked about a possible India-Israel nexus vis-à-vis Pakistan, the minister said Tel Aviv does not want anyone more powerful in this region than its partner India.
He argued that there could be a similarity between the objectives of India and Israel.
To another question, the minister said that there is a divide between the military and civilian leadership of India.
He was referring to contradictory statements by Indian Army Chief and RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.
Last week, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, considered the organisation’s second-most senior leader, said India should continue diplomatic engagement with Pakistan.
To another question, the minister said the Indus Waters Treaty has been functioning successfully for the last 66 years, adding that it is one of the oldest agreements and contains a mechanism to resolve disputes.
He also welcomed a fresh ruling by the Court of Arbitration under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying the verdict was in favor of Pakistan.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague had confirmed its earlier award supporting the continued validity of the IWT, ruling that India could not unilaterally suspend the agreement.
