ISLAMABAD – Advisor to Pakistan’s National Command Authority (NCA) Lieutenant General (Retd) Mazhar Jamil has warned that what he described as “risky and delusional” Indian military doctrines, shaped by an inadequate understanding of nuclear realities, are endangering security and stability across South Asia and beyond.
Speaking at the 11th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS) workshop on nuclear deterrence and strategic stability in South Asia, Jamil said Indian military thinking was increasingly influenced by an ideology that, in his assessment, conflates mythology with national power.
“The outcome is very risky and delusional Indian military doctrines with poor strategic sense of nuclear realities endangering South Asia and beyond,” he said.
Jamil argued that the region’s security environment remained fragile because of unresolved disputes, particularly Kashmir, which he described as a continuing nuclear flashpoint between India and Pakistan. He called for a political resolution through dialogue and United Nations Security Council resolutions, saying military action could not provide a lasting solution to longstanding conflicts.
He said military confrontation between two nuclear-armed states carries the risk of escalation beyond the intentions of their political and military leaderships. He warned against strategies based on the assumption that escalation could be controlled or that one side could dictate the outcome through military pressure.
Referring to recent India-Pakistan crises, including the May 2025 confrontation, Jamil said overconfidence in military capabilities could lead to serious miscalculations. He maintained that Pakistan’s response during the crisis had been measured and guided by strategic restraint, while arguing that military aggression could not achieve lasting political objectives.
Jamil also expressed concern over India’s expanding nuclear and missile capabilities, including intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. He questioned the implications of these developments for regional arms control and strategic stability, particularly amid advances in dual-use technologies that can blur the distinction between conventional and nuclear capabilities.
He further raised concerns about missile incidents and the absence of sufficient transparency, arguing that these factors increased the risk of misinterpretation during a crisis. He called for stronger confidence-building measures and mechanisms to manage potential escalation between the two countries.
The NCA adviser said Pakistan’s security approach relied on credible conventional capabilities alongside nuclear deterrence. He described the country’s Quid Pro Quo Plus policy as a framework for responding to aggression while maintaining strategic clarity.
Jamil also urged India to pursue political engagement, resolve outstanding disputes and avoid policies that could intensify regional tensions. He called for an effective crisis-management mechanism and said international mediation could help advance conflict resolution.
Concluding his address, Jamil said Pakistan remained committed to peace, strategic stability and responsible nuclear stewardship, while reserving the right to take measures necessary to protect its national security.
He stressed that lasting stability in South Asia required dialogue and political solutions rather than military dominance, warning that continued confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours could place the wider region at risk.