Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, during his visit to the United States, issued a provocative nuclear threat against India, declaring, “We are a nuclear nation; if we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us.” His remarks drew strong condemnation from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, which described such nuclear sabre-rattling as Pakistan’s usual tactic.
At a black-tie event with the Pakistani-American community in Tampa, Florida, Munir made three aggressive statements: he warned of a nuclear response if Pakistan faced an existential threat from India, claimed Pakistan was prepared to destroy any future Indian dam on the Indus River using “10 missiles,” and asserted that water rights were non-negotiable, referring to the suspended Indus Waters Treaty. The timing of these comments—coinciding with the anniversary of the Nagasaki atomic bombing—added to the controversy.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed regret that such destabilizing rhetoric was voiced on US soil and cautioned the international community about the risks of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal potentially falling into the hands of non-state actors. The ministry highlighted “well-founded doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is closely linked with terrorist groups.” India reaffirmed its stance that it would not succumb to nuclear intimidation and would take all necessary measures to safeguard national security.
Sources within the Indian government noted that Munir’s statements reflect the Pakistani military’s dominance over its democracy and follow a familiar pattern of nuclear threats coinciding with periods of US support. During his US visit, Munir attended military ceremonies, met with senior American defense officials, and sought to position Pakistan as a key regional security player.