Nuke rhetoric won't save Pak next time

New Delhi: The Indian Army is fully prepared for future contingencies and will not be deterred by Pakistan's nuclear threats, Western Army Commander Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar said on Thursday. He warned Pakistan that any future conflict would end with a decisive outcome on the ground.

Addressing troops after an investiture ceremony at Dhyan Singh Stadium in Mamoon Military Station, Lt Gen Katiyar said Pakistan had sought a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor while simultaneously issuing nuclear threats. "They said if they go down, they will take half the world with them. We ignored those threats then, and we are even better prepared now, with a clear plan for the future," he said.

Calling out Pakistan's military leadership for sustaining a "war-like situation" to remain relevant at home, the commander said India’s leadership was focused on national development.

He also said that Pakistan’s generals were driven by the need to retain power. He said Pakistan lacked the courage and capability for open combat and instead relied on proxy warfare to provoke escalation.

"Pakistan repeatedly uses terrorist outfits to provoke India so that when we retaliate, it can project a war-like situation and rally domestic support," he said, adding that Islamabad had misled its own people with a false narrative of victory and media propaganda. "This time, we will not give them that opportunity," he added.

Lt Gen Katiyar stressed that future operations would go beyond targeting bases and posts. "Our victory will be on the ground and so decisive that they will be forced to accept defeat before the world," he said. Underscoring the role of Western Command formations, he told troops their preparedness would be critical in any future action.