India and Pakistan became nuclear powers after they conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in 1998 and their decades-old animosity has made the region, the world’s most populous, one of its most dangerous nuclear flashpoints.
The latest military conflict between the South Asian neighbours spiralled alarmingly on Saturday and there were briefly fears that nuclear arsenals might come into play as Pakistan’s military said a top body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet.
But the Pakistani defence minister said no such meeting was scheduled.
Military analysts said this may have been Pakistan’s way of hinting at its nuclear option, as Islamabad has a “first-use” policy if its existence is under threat in a conflict – meaning Pakistan might proactively launch a nuclear strike at an enemy even if it had not been attacked by that enemy’s nuclear weapons.
DISPUTE SETTLED, SAYS TRUMP
Elsewhere, US President Donald Trump said that the dispute between the South Asian neighbours had settled, after he urged the two countries to focus on trade instead of war.
“I hope I don’t walk out of here in two days…to find out that is not settled, but I think it is settled and we talked to them about trade, let’s do trade instead of doing war,” Trump told US troops at a base in Qatar.
Trump was the first to announce the ceasefire on Saturday, indicating it was clinched due to Washington’s diplomacy and pressure.
Pakistan has thanked Washington for its involvement but the foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his latest statement.
There was no fresh response from New Delhi as well on Thursday. The Indian foreign ministry said earlier this week that the issue of trade did not come up in talks with Washington and that the understanding to stop the fighting was reached directly with Islamabad.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that India would strike at terrorist hideouts across the border again if there were new attacks on India and would not be deterred by what he called Islamabad’s “nuclear blackmail”.
Pakistan rejected Modi’s statements as being “provocative and inflammatory assertions”, saying they represents a dangerous escalation.
Hindu-majority India and Pakistan have fought three wars in the past, two of them over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.
India also blames Pakistan for supporting militants battling security forces in its part of Kashmir, but Islamabad denies the accusation.
