India on Monday strongly condemned what it termed as "nuclear sabre-rattling" by the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan while the General was visiting the United States.
In it's official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that his comments point to grave concerns about the reliability of Pakistan's nuclear command and control, in a country where its military has a nexus with terror groups.
The ministry added it was "deplorable" that such comments were made from the soil of a friendly third country.
The MEA reiterated India's position and stated that it would not yield to nuclear coercion, and would take all measures necessary to secure India's national security.
India's full statement
Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States.
Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade.
The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.
It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country.
India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security.
In a speech to the Pakistani diaspora in Tampa, Florida, Munir reportedly announced a nuclear threat, saying that his nation would retaliate if it was faced with an existential threat in a possible future engagement with India.
"We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us," media reports quoted him as saying.
According to reports, the Pakistan Army Chief's comments are in line with a familiar pattern: when the US invests in the military of Pakistan, the real character of aggression from the country shows up. They said this reflects lack of democracy in Pakistan, as the military calls the shots.
According to reports, the Pakistan Army Chief's comments are in line with a familiar pattern: when the US invests in the military of Pakistan, the real character of aggression from the country shows up. They said this reflects lack of democracy in Pakistan, as the military calls the shots.
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