Army Veteran Warns Pakistan Can’t Afford Nuclear War with India

India’s Strategic Depth Makes Nuclear Retaliation Catastrophic for Pakistan

Retired Indian Army officer Lt Gen KJS Dhillon has delivered a stark warning to Pakistan regarding the implications of a nuclear conflict with India, asserting that any such move would lead to the complete annihilation of Pakistan. In a detailed interview with ANI, Lt Gen Dhillon stated that Pakistan lacks the strategic depth and territorial spread to survive an Indian nuclear retaliation. While India could absorb a nuclear first strike due to its geographic vastness, Pakistan would not survive a counterstrike, he cautioned.

According to Lt Gen Dhillon, Pakistan’s densely packed population centers lie within a narrow geographic corridor, making them highly vulnerable to destruction in the event of retaliatory strikes. He contrasted this with India’s expansive east-west and north-south spread—from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari—giving India the strategic advantage of space to absorb and respond effectively.

Highlights:

• Pakistan’s limited east-west and north-south depth makes it extremely vulnerable to a second strike.

• India’s larger geographic expanse allows it to absorb a nuclear first strike with damage, but still retaliate.

• Any Indian nuclear counterstrike would cause “unacceptable damage” and lead to the “cessation of Pakistan,” Dhillon said.

India’s No-First Use Policy Still Allows Preemptive Action Under Threat

Elaborating on India’s nuclear doctrine, Lt Gen Dhillon reaffirmed the country’s no-first use policy but clarified that it does not imply inaction in the face of imminent threat. He explained that India reserves the right to respond with overwhelming force if intelligence suggests Pakistan is preparing to launch nuclear weapons. According to him, India maintains constant surveillance on known nuclear sites and would treat the mating or coupling of nuclear warheads with delivery systems as a de facto first strike.

This interpretation, he argued, gives India the right to launch preemptive strikes for the safety of its population under the ambit of its declared doctrine. This clarification comes amid rising rhetoric from Pakistani leadership about nuclear escalation.

Highlights:

• India’s no-first use policy includes provisions for preemptive action if a strike is imminent.

• Surveillance of Pakistani nuclear movements is continuous and would inform India’s defensive strategy.

• Coupling or mating of nuclear warheads is treated as a “first strike in motion” and could justify Indian action.

Pakistan Leaders Criticised for Reckless Nuclear Rhetoric

Lt Gen Dhillon strongly criticised the Pakistani leadership, particularly Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, for making irresponsible statements about the use of nuclear weapons. He stated that such remarks are often made without a full understanding of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war. These statements, according to Dhillon, are not being transparently communicated to the Pakistani public, who are kept in the dark about the true devastation a nuclear exchange would unleash.

His comments were a response to recent remarks by Khawaja Asif, who warned during a Geo News interview that the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions could escalate into a nuclear conflict. Asif claimed that in a scenario of all-out war, a nuclear confrontation could not be ruled out and that the responsibility would lie with India if such a scenario unfolded.

Highlights:

• Dhillon slammed Pakistani leadership for making “careless” nuclear war threats.

• He stressed that Pakistan’s public remains unaware of the full implications of such reckless rhetoric.

• Asif’s comments hinting at nuclear escalation were seen as provocative and destabilizing.