News Brief
Swarajya Staff
Aug 11, 2025, 03:33 PM | Updated 03:33 PM IST
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India has strongly condemned the recent nuclear threat made by Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir during his visit to the United States, calling the saber-rattling “Pakistan’s stock-in-trade” and expressing regret that such remarks were made from the soil of a “friendly third country.”
In an official statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs on August 11, India said, “Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade.”
The statement criticized the irresponsibility of Munir’s comments and questioned the integrity of Pakistan’s nuclear command, stating, “The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.”
India also took a subtle swipe at the US, emphasising the inappropriate setting of the threat: “It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country.”
During the black-tie dinner in Tampa, Munir had warned that Pakistan, if faced with an existential threat from India, would “take half the world down with us.”
He also threatened to destroy any Indian dam built on the Indus River with “10 missiles,” highlighting the ongoing dispute over the Indus Waters Treaty.
Using what he called a “crude analogy,” Munir said, “India is shining Mercedes coming on a highway like Ferrari, but we are a dump truck full of gravel. If the truck hits the car, who is going to be the loser?”
India’s statement reaffirmed its firm stance against nuclear intimidation.
“India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security.”
Munir was in Tampa for the US Central Command’s change of command ceremony and met senior US military leaders. This was his second visit to Washington since the recent Operation Sindoor clashes with India. His trip included a private luncheon with Trump, after which the former US president announced expanded US-Pakistan cooperation, including an oil deal.