Zartaj Chaudhary
The recent Pahalgam attack marks yet another flashpoint in the long and troubled history of India-Pakistan relations, exposing the hollowness of ceasefire promises and the deepening cracks beneath the surface of regional peace.
The failure of Operation Sindoor has not humbled Indian strategy but rather emboldened it to prepare more openly for conflict. The latest incident is not an isolated flashpoint but part of a broader pattern: a state addicted to escalation, where diplomacy is sidelined and militarism is normalized. Beneath the rhetoric lies a far more dangerous reality: India is rapidly building the capacity for war. From provocative military drills near Pakistan’s borders to massive investments in surveillance and strike technologies, the signs are clear. Indian media, far from questioning this trajectory, cheers it on with jingoistic fervor, framing aggression as strategy and escalation as patriotism. In a region already burdened by history, it is no longer a matter of if war will break out—it is a matter of when.
Beyond rhetorical belligerence, India is actively laying the groundwork for military confrontation through systematic capacity-building aimed at Pakistan. In a desperate bid to showcase dominance, the Indian Air Force recently conducted a massive air drill near the Pakistan border, deploying Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Sukhoi-30MKI jets. These offensive platforms were paraded not as defensive assets but as instruments of preemptive strike readiness. While outlets like Newsweek framed it as deterrence, its scale and timing point to deliberate provocation.This was no defensive drill—it was aloud rehearsal for pre-emptive aggression, cheered on by India’s hyper-nationalist media.But the escalation doesn’t end there. India is now moving to approve the ₹10,000 crore I-STAR surveillance and strike system, designed to counter stealth platforms like the Chinese J-35s, which were offered to Pakistan. These aren’t peacekeeping measures; they’re war blueprints. India is not seeking balance—it is engineering confrontation, hiding its expansionist intent behind the smokescreen of “strategic preparedness.”
India’s war hysteria has been further amplified by its obsession with Pakistan-China defense collaboration, which New Delhi and its media aggressively paint as a threat to regional stability.The recent offer of 40 J-35 stealth jets, HQ-19 missile systems, and KJ-500 AWACS aircraft from China to Pakistan has sent Indian media into a frenzy, branding the move as an attempt by Beijing to “arm its proxy.” Indian media outlets have amplified this narrative, feeding a Cold War-style paranoia aimed at portraying India as a bulwark against Chinese expansionism. This carefully crafted rhetoric serves two purposes: to paint Pakistan as a mere pawn in Beijing’s game and to justify India’s unchecked defense buildup under the guise of countering regional instability. India’s alarmist framing is not about preserving peace—it is a deliberate war-mongering campaign, designed to rally Western support, attract arms deals, and escalate tensions. While India clings to war hysteria, Pakistan is strengthening alliances to defend peace through deterrence—not war.
India’s war strategy extends beyond missiles and fighter jets—it now weaponizes water, diplomacy, and narrative control. Its aggressive expansion of water infrastructure under the Indus Waters Treaty is not development, but deliberate hydro-strategic coercion—turning rivers into battlegrounds.While Pakistan seeks dialogue, India insists on terms that mirror surrender.This water brinkmanship reflects a deeper tactic: bleed Pakistan diplomatically while preparing for conflict materially. Diplomatically, it seeks to isolate Islamabad by ridiculing its UNSC roles and tying every achievement to IMF bailouts, dismissing sovereign efforts as foreign-funded theatrics. These maneuvers aren’t isolated—they’re deliberate components of India’s multi-dimensional war preparation, cloaked in development and diplomacy.
Amid India’s relentless war rhetoric and aggressive posturing, international media adopts a more nuanced and cautious stance, highlighting the complexities often ignored by New Delhi’s sensationalism. While Indian outlets rush to condemn Pakistan’s defense procurements as provocations, global analysts recognize Islamabad’s arms diplomacy—including the landmark $1.6 billion JF-17 Block III deal with Azerbaijan—as a pragmatic move toward self-reliance in the face of mounting threats. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s stark warning—”Proof or no proof, another terrorist attack could mean war”, reflects a sobering truth: India’s narrative-fueled militarism has made peace dangerously fragile. Despite India’s attempts to destabilize Pakistan through covert operations and instilling ethnic unrest, international observers recognize Islamabad’s balancing act—amid relentless Indian war-mongering and media-fueled hysteria.
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, India is preparing for war with chilling resolve—no longer hiding behind rhetoric but actively investing in next-generation warfare. From AI-driven surveillance to long-range precision strike capabilities, New Delhi is determined to stay one step ahead, fueled by vengeance rather than strategy. With Pakistan also having demonstrated its upgraded arsenal and hardened resolve, any future conflict will be more brutal, more lethal, and far less restrained. The thin thread of peace that remains is not a product of diplomacy but of temporary political calculation—fragile and held hostage by India’s war-prepping machinery. As both sides test and showcase their deadliest tools yet, the region teeters on the edge—not because Pakistan seeks war, but because India is meticulously preparing for one. The international community must recognize this growing threat before strategic ambition turns into strategic ruin.
[The writer is a freelance columnist and can be reached at zartajchaudhary@gmail.com]
