During an election rally on April 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that he had called Pakistan’s nuclear “bluff” by carrying out air strikes within Pakistan. In his exact words, Modi boasted, “Pakistan has threatened us with nuclear, nuclear, nuclear” and then he asked rhetorically, “Did we deflate their nuclear threat or not?” Of course, Modi’s supporters raised chants in an expression of their approval. Perhaps this was merely a case of aggressive electioneering in which Modi has focused on national security as the main theme. But such claims have also been made by several Indian policymakers and defence analysts after the recent Pulwama crisis which demonstrates that there is a wider acceptance for such views. In reality this is a dangerous delusion.
Express Tribune 19th April 2019 read more »