AS if the anti-Pakistan venom being spewed by hyper-nationalist sections of the Indian media was not enough, sadly, India’s top leadership keeps indulging in similar behaviour. When holders of high public office resort to playing to the gallery, the chances of peace in the subcontinent are reduced significantly. Delivering a speech in Gujarat’s Bhuj town recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used ill-advised turns of phrase when referring to Pakistan. Echoing dialogues usually found in 1970s Bollywood blockbusters, he urged Pakistanis to “eat bread” or else “my bullet is ready”. He also repeated allegations of Pakistan supporting ‘terrorism’. At another event in Gandhinagar, Mr Modi questioned the relevance of the Indus Waters Treaty. Perhaps it was his presence in his home turf of Gujarat that made the Indian leader resort to such bellicose rhetoric. Whatever the reasons, if India’s leaders continue to use such combative language, a peaceful resolution to South Asia’s problems in the near future is highly unlikely. The Foreign Office has criticised Mr Modi’s “theatrical flourish”, observing that such remarks are not expected from “the leader of a nuclear-armed state.”

Perhaps the belligerence of India’s leaders is a reflection of the quality of India’s current leadership. From the eloquence and statesmanship of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, down to the quiet resolve of A.B. Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, today India’s leaders have come down to mouthing Bollywood clichés. Such intemperate remarks give a chance to hawks in Pakistan to reply in the same coin. If Mr Modi and his colleagues in government are serious about promoting sustained hostility against Pakistan, this ill-advised policy will spell disaster for the entire subcontinent. India cannot assume that Pakistan will simply sit back and watch as it violates this country’s sovereignty as part of a ‘new normal’. As the post-Pahalgam hostilities illustrated, Pakistan is more than capable of defending itself. But the major risk is that India’s provocative moves may one day spiral out of control, and lead to another full-blown war in South Asia. Such a prospect, with both states possessing nuclear arms, is not a pleasant one. Instead of promoting war hysteria and anti-Pakistan hatred, India’s leadership needs to climb down and talk to Pakistan. A peaceful resolution to bilateral disputes is possible, should both sides be interested in pursuing this path.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2025