New Delhi lashes out at Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir's "reckless" nuclear threats !! ::: "It is a well-known modus operandi to whip up anti-India rhetoric to hide own failures"

Fact :

India holds an estimated 172 nuclear warheads, backed by tested intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and a declared No First Use policy.

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Any misadventure will have painful consequences: India slams Asim Munir's remarks

India lashed out at Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir's "reckless" nuclear threats, saying such war-mongering comments were part of Islamabad's playbook to distract from its domestic failures.  

“We have seen reports regarding a continuing pattern of reckless, war-mongering and hateful comments from Pakistani leadership against India. 

It is a well-known modus operandi to whip up anti-India rhetoric time and again to hide their own failures,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.  

He warned that “any misadventure will have painful consequences, as was demonstrated recently.” The MEA was referring to the recent military standoff in May when India responded strongly to Pakistan's drone and missile attack after Delhi targetted terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The remarks by MEA came after Pakistan’s foreign ministry defended Munir’s statement, made during his US visit, in which he reportedly warned Islamabad would “take half the world down” if faced with an existential threat from India. India condemned the comments as “nuclear sabre-rattling,” calling them “highly irresponsible” and a threat to regional and global security.

India also raised concerns that such threats came from a military establishment “hand-in-glove with terrorist groups,” casting doubt over the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. 

It criticised Munir for making such remarks on the soil of a friendly third country.  

Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine is intentionally opaque, with a strong emphasis on short-range tactical weapons built for battlefield use rather than strategic, long-range deterrence. 

Munir’s boast of being able to take “half the world” down suggests a global strike capability — a claim far removed from reality. 

In truth, Pakistan’s nuclear warheads have limited range, confining their reach largely to the region. A recently released US intelligence report warns that Islamabad is seeking to expand its arsenal, posing a growing threat in the years ahead.  

PAKISTAN’S NUCLEAR FORCES (2023)

Mirage III/V: 36 launchers, deployed since 1998, 2,100 km range, 5–12 kt bombs or Ra’ad-I/II ALCM, 36 warheads.

F-17: Capable of carrying Ra’ad-II ALCM; warhead numbers not confirmed.

Subtotal: 36 warheads.   

There are several key limitations in Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal:

Limited range for global strike: Despite boasting about “taking half the world down,” Pakistan’s longest-range missile, Shaheen-III, has a maximum range of ~2,750 km — insufficient for intercontinental or global strike. No true ICBM capability; arsenal is regionally focused, primarily targeting India.

Heavy reliance on tactical and short-range weapons: Significant portion of arsenal comprises short-range systems like Nasr (Hatf-9) with a range of only 60–70 km, intended for battlefield use. 

Air-based delivery relies mainly on ageing Mirage III/V aircraft (deployed since 1998) and possibly JF-17 in future. 

No confirmed nuclear-capable long-range bomber force.

Sea-based deterrent is rudimentary: 

Babur-3 SLCM has only ~450 km range and limited deployment, offering minimal true sea-based deterrence compared to India’s growing SSBN fleet.

ends