India slams Pakistani Army Chief’s ‘nuclear remarks’ as ‘irresponsible’, ‘regrettable’

New Delhi, August 11: India has sharply criticised Pakistani Army Chief Gen Asim Munir for remarks on nuclear weapons reportedly made during his visit to the United States, calling them “irresponsible” and emblematic of Pakistan’s habitual “nuclear sabre-rattling”.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that such comments only reinforce global concerns about the safety and integrity of Pakistan’s nuclear command and control, particularly in a state “where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups”.

“It is regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country,” the MEA added.

India asserted it will not be cowed by “nuclear blackmail” and will continue to take all necessary steps to safeguard its national security.

The criticism comes after Gen Munir, during engagements in the US, reportedly made statements hinting at Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities in the context of its tensions with India.

Asim Munir made a provocative nuclear threat during a private black-tie dinner in Tampa, Florida, hosted by businessman and honorary consul Adnan Asad, as per media reports.

According to multiple attendees, who later recounted the remarks to the press, Munir warned that Pakistan would be willing to unleash nuclear weapons in the event of an existential conflict with India.

“We are a nuclear nation; if we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” he reportedly said — marking what is believed to be the first time such a threat has been issued from US soil against a third country.

Munir also issued warnings over the Indus Waters Treaty, criticising India’s move to place it in abeyance and claiming it could endanger 250 million lives through water shortages.

“We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, phir 10 missile sey faarigh kar dengey (we will destroy it with 10 missiles),” he was quoted as saying, adding that Pakistan has “no shortage of missiles, al-Hamdulillah (praise be to God).”

With inputs from agencies