India and Pakistan are today mired in a climbing arms race and military confrontation. The business is full of downpour strikes and extreme, alternate finger pointing of attack. Just this week, India hit nine locations in Pakistan with military strikes. They directed special attention to four sites/community clusters in the Punjab region. These attacks have prompted strong denunciations from Pakistani officials, who accuse India of committing “yet another blatant military act of aggression.”
The standoff escalated further when India’s defense ministry announced that India’s strikes had hit “terrorist infrastructure.” This infrastructure allegedly comprised training camps and residences linked to jihadist groups. This claim has been sharply disputed by Pakistani officials, who called India’s use of drones a “serious provocation.”
In direct response to the aerial onslaught, Pakistan’s military were quickly put on the defensive. They shot down at least 25 Indian drones patrolling above the borders of Punjab and Sindh provinces. In response, the Pakistani government claims that India has attempted to send drones and missiles over the border. These attacks have targeted military installations in India’s northern and western states.
General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s military, expressed his outrage over India’s actions.
“This is yet another blatant military act of aggression.” – Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry
The situation got even worse after a civilian’s death in Sindh due to an unannounced drone attack. The recent carnage has brought Pakistan to the brink, forcing the government to declare a state of emergency. This impacts all hospitals and health facilities in the Sindh region.
Pakistan’s Premier Shehbaz Sharif promised to respond with fury to the indignity suffered by his nation. He stated,
“We will avenge each and every drop of blood of our martyrs.” – Shehbaz Sharif
India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar responded to the tensions by warning that any military aggression from Pakistan would meet with a robust response.
“If there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response.” – Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
In a recent tit-for-tat, each country has blamed the other for firing drone and missile attacks in the dead of night. India’s missile strike on Balakot, Pakistan, was claimed to have killed 31 people the next day. In response, Pakistan then carried out counterattacks, killing at least one Indian soldier and 11 Indian civilians.
Pakistan’s military boisterously declared that they shot down at least 16 Indian drones. They claim these drones were targeted at important strategic sites in the country. At the same time, India insists that its operations are critical to its national security.
As one Pakistani security official put it, reflecting their desire to avoid escalation, 3 .
“We have not fired any missiles or drone attacks inside India or any military installations.” – Pakistan’s security official
Pushing back even more on the narrative being pushed by Indian officials, the official continued,
“This is fake news from Indian authorities. The offensive response will come now.” – Pakistan’s security official
As violence continues to rise, the U.S. Consulate General in Lahore recently warned its staff to stay indoors. They ordered them to shelter in place Monday morning following reports of drone detonations and potential airspace violations in the surrounding area.
This deepening crisis has left Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, under extraordinary pressure. He has now to prove his decisive mettle against India. As neither side backs down from military posturing and provocation, the prospect for escalating violence in the countdown to a new normal continues to rise.