Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed a parliamentary panel on Monday that the recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan remained strictly within the conventional warfare domain. He emphasised that there was no nuclear signaling involved, despite both nations being nuclear-armed.
Misri led the government's briefing on “Operation Sindoor” during the meeting with the Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs. Addressing the panel, Misri firmly reiterated that the ceasefire agreement reached between the two countries was entirely bilateral in nature. This clarification came in response to multiple assertions from committee members referencing the United States' claims about its involvement in halting the four-day conflict.
Misri underscored that the decision to de-escalate and cease hostilities was mutually arrived at by India and Pakistan, without external mediation. According to sources cited in reports, the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) from both sides finalised the agreement to suspend all military actions on May 10, marking an end to the brief but intense confrontation.
Pakistan’s use of Chinese weaponry not a factor, says Misri
During the meeting, Vikram Misri also addressed concerns regarding Pakistan’s use of Chinese-manufactured military platforms during the conflict. He asserted that the origin of Pakistan’s weapon systems was not a significant factor in the outcome of the engagements.
According to informed sources, Misri noted that Indian armed forces were able to deliver a strong response, effectively neutralising Pakistani air bases that had been mobilised to target Indian military installations and civilian areas. His statement reinforced the Indian position that the response was proportionate and effective, irrespective of the weapon systems used by Pakistan.
The committee meeting was chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and attended by a cross-section of lawmakers. Participants included TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, Congress leaders Rajeev Shukla and Deepender Hooda, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, and BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi and Arun Govil.
India denies targeting nuclear facilities
Amid ongoing media speculation, India's armed forces firmly denied reports suggesting they had targeted Pakistani nuclear installations, specifically at Kirana Hills, during the conflict. During a press conference, Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, dismissed these claims.
Responding to a reporter’s question, he stated, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation. We did not know about it. And we have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.” His remarks underscored the Indian military’s focus on avoiding any escalation into the nuclear domain.
The Foreign Secretary's unequivocal declaration that there was “no nuclear signaling” carries additional weight in light of repeated public statements from Pakistani officials and ministers during the period of heightened tension. These statements often invoked Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities as a deterrent against potential Indian action.
Notably, Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, in an interview during the conflict, stated that his country was prepared to use its “full spectrum of power, both conventional and nuclear,” if provoked by India, particularly in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam. This rhetoric contributed to the charged atmosphere leading up to the ceasefire, making Misri’s reassurance of a strictly conventional engagement particularly significant.
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