ISPR says Indian military chief’s statement reflects ‘jingoistic mindset’

Pakistan’s military on Sunday strongly criticised remarks made by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, warning that hostile rhetoric could push South Asia towards  another conflict with “devastating” consequences for the region.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) responded to comments attributed to the Indian army chief in a recent interview, in which he reportedly said Pakistan should decide whether it wanted to remain “part of geography and history”.

The military’s media wing described the remarks as “provocative” and said Pakistan was “already a country of consequence at global level, a declared nuclear power and an indelible part of South Asia’s geography and history”.

The ISPR said the statement reflected what it termed India’s inability to “reconcile with the very idea of Pakistan”, despite decades having passed since partition.

It further stated that such “hubristic, jingoistic and myopic” thinking had repeatedly contributed to tensions and crises in the region.

The statement warned that threats aimed at a “sovereign nuclear neighbour” amounted to “warmongering” and cautioned that any conflict between the two countries could have consequences extending beyond the region.

“Responsible nuclear states reflect restraint, maturity, and strategic sobriety,” the ISPR said, adding that the language of “civilisational supremacy or national erasure” was dangerous.

The military also urged India to pursue peaceful coexistence and avoid actions that could escalate tensions in South Asia.