Warning Escalates: Asif Vows “Wreckage” If India Attacks

General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, sharply admonished Pakistan for what he called its state-sanctioned backing of terror networks, warning that India would no longer show the restraint exercised in earlier operations. He asserted Islamabad must halt terror sponsorship if it wishes to “retain its place on the world map.” His comments evoked swift condemnation from Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, who declared that future Indian military aggression would lead to New Delhi being “buried under the wreckage of its warplanes.”

Dwivedi’s warning rejected comparisons to Operation Sindoor 1.0, underlining that India’s next response would not mirror past approaches. He argued the scale and audacity of militant acts originating from Pakistani soil demand a tougher posture going forward.

Asif responded via social media and public pronouncements, accusing Indian leaders of seeking to restore their “lost credibility” after defeat in confrontations earlier this year. Without naming specific events, he alluded to the “score of 0-6” and suggested that if India attempts another military foray, the outcome will be “far better” for Pakistan. He also framed the Indian statements as provocative and misleading, promising decisive retaliation to any aggression.

Tension between the two nations has surged since the Pahalgam terror attack in April this year—where 26 civilians were killed. India blamed militant groups operating from Pakistan and responded by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing border crossings, and conducting border strikes. Pakistan fiercely dismissed the accusations, refused to accept guilt, and revoked aspects of the Simla Agreement, characterising it as obsolete.

Earlier in the week, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned Pakistani “misadventures” in the Sir Creek region would provoke a reaction that could shift both “history and geography.” That escalation adds to a volatile pattern of hyperbole, threats, and military signalling along a fraught frontier.

In Islamabad, uncertainty is evident. Pakistan’s military and intelligence communities must now decide whether Asif’s rhetoric will be matched by deployments, maneuvers, or other military steps. The strategic backdrop has shifted as well: in September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, committing to collective security against aggression—a pact that could change the stakes of any conflict.

Defence analysts warn that the rhetoric may lead to miscalculations. One South Asia specialist noted that while both sides maintain nuclear deterrents, escalation below that threshold is increasingly unpredictable. Pakistan may also test India’s resolve via proxy or covert measures. Meanwhile, India’s military posture—bolstered through civil defence drills and air readiness across key nodes—signals it is preparing not just for message-sending but possible kinetic operations.