Arshad Mahmood Awan
The rising tide of hostility emanating from India continues to poison the prospects of peace in South Asia. Frequent threats and reckless assertions by Indian political and military figures against Pakistan have created an environment in which meaningful dialogue is virtually impossible. Rather than building bridges across shared borders, New Delhi seems determined to fan the flames of enmity—an approach that only deepens mistrust and regional instability.
Following the Pahalgam incident, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched an aggressive propaganda campaign against Pakistan, amplified by its loyalist media outlets. Instead of pursuing diplomatic restraint, Indian leaders have chosen demonisation and disinformation. Analysts believe that India’s poor military performance during the May border skirmishes, combined with Pakistan’s successful diplomatic outreach, has heightened frustration within New Delhi’s establishment. Unable to secure international endorsement for its narrative, India’s leadership has resorted to chest-thumping rhetoric to conceal domestic and military failures.
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The tone from Indian military officials has been equally alarming. The Indian army chief recently threatened that his country “will not show restraint,” ominously declaring that “the opportunity will come soon.” This statement, clearly directed at Pakistan, reeks of provocation. Similarly, India’s air chief claimed that his forces shot down several Pakistani jets during what he called “Operation Sindoor”—a baseless assertion unsupported by any credible evidence. Such fabrications are designed to stoke nationalist fervour and feed a domestic audience eager for triumphalist tales.
It is apparent that India’s generals are following the political script dictated by the ruling party. During the recent United Nations General Assembly session, India and Pakistan exchanged tense rhetoric. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while defending Pakistan’s right to self-defence during the May clashes, extended a genuine offer of “comprehensive dialogue” to resolve all disputes peacefully. Yet, instead of responding with maturity, India’s foreign minister used the platform to accuse Pakistan—without naming it—of being the “epicentre of global terrorism.”
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The hostility did not end there. In a display of poor diplomacy, the Indian prime minister politicised his country’s Asia Cup cricket victory, calling it “Operation Sindoor on the games field.” Such language trivialises sportsmanship and transforms athletic competition into an extension of jingoistic politics. Observers believe that this aggressive posture towards Pakistan is not accidental; it serves calculated domestic political purposes. By manufacturing external enemies, the BJP seeks to consolidate its Hindutva vote bank, particularly ahead of critical state elections such as those in Bihar.
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This pattern of behaviour reveals a troubling reality: India’s political establishment has institutionalised hostility as an electoral strategy. Instead of fostering regional cooperation, it prefers confrontation to maintain internal cohesion. Unfortunately, the consequences extend far beyond electoral politics. The aggressive rhetoric has entrenched mistrust between two nuclear neighbours and undermined decades of efforts aimed at regional stability.
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In earlier decades, certain hardline groups within Pakistan resisted peace with India. Today, however, it is the Indian state itself—bolstered by militant right-wing organisations, extremist ideologues, and a compliant media—that has become the main obstacle to peace. The BJP’s narrative of perpetual hostility seeks to isolate Pakistan diplomatically while rallying domestic nationalism. Yet, this strategy is bound to fail. The global community recognises the perils of militarism and the importance of dialogue in resolving long-standing disputes, especially in volatile regions like South Asia.
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Peace in the subcontinent cannot be achieved through threats or propaganda wars. It requires sincerity, political courage, and mutual respect. Pakistan has repeatedly extended an olive branch, signalling its willingness for comprehensive dialogue on all outstanding issues—including Kashmir. India must understand that sustainable progress lies not in isolation but in cooperation. A South Asia divided by hostility will only continue to lag behind economically, socially, and diplomatically, while its people suffer the consequences of misplaced priorities.
Until New Delhi realises this truth, Pakistan must remain vigilant and firm. As it has demonstrated in the past, it will defend its sovereignty against any act of aggression. But beyond the battlefield lies a greater challenge: breaking the cycle of hatred that has trapped the region for decades. Only when India abandons its obsession with militarised nationalism and embraces dialogue as the path forward can the subcontinent hope to achieve lasting peace and prosperity.
#Governance #Politics #Peace #SouthAsia #RepublicPolicy
