In response to Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir’s latest nuclear sabre-rattling, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on August 11, called out Islamabad’s reckless posturing as a hallmark of its state policy, warning the international community of the real dangers such threats pose in the hands of a military intertwined with terrorist networks.
Munir, during a visit to the United States, had threatened that Pakistan would allow India to complete the construction of dams on the Indus and its tributaries before firing missiles to destroy them — an incendiary remark not only threatening India’s critical infrastructure but also openly invoking the spectre of nuclear escalation.
“This is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” the MEA stated in a formal communiqué on Monday afternoon. “The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which reinforce well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.”
Statement by Official Spokesperson⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/aEi9bMFOHi pic.twitter.com/AGyyGNu8gv— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 11, 2025
Pointing out the setting of the remarks, the MEA underlined that it was “regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country.” The statement further reaffirmed India’s long-standing stance: “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.”
Government sources, speaking to media, minced no words in describing Pakistan as an “irresponsible state” in possession of nuclear weapons, stressing that there exists “a real danger of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of non-state actors in Pakistan.”
“This statement is part of a pattern whenever the US shows support to Pakistan’s military establishment, they reveal their true colours,” the sources said. “Pakistan’s military is the power centre, not its civilian government. Democracy is virtually non-existent in the country.”
The provocative statements from Munir come amid already strained Indo-US ties, with President Donald Trump’s recent tariff measures sparking trade tensions with New Delhi. Notably, Trump had hosted Munir at the White House on June 19 just weeks after India accused the Pakistan Army chief of inciting the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir with a dangerous public speech.
Adding to the tensions, hours after India and Pakistan’s Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) reached a ceasefire understanding along the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border, Pakistan brazenly violated the agreement.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed “repeated violations” on the same night the understanding was reached. “This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today,” he said, stressing that the Indian Armed Forces are giving an “adequate and appropriate response” to such provocations.
“We take very, very serious notice of these violations. We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility,” Misri asserted. He added that the Indian forces have been instructed to deal strongly with any future violations, maintaining a strong vigil along both the LoC and the international border.
