ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has cautioned that the risk of another war with India persists, noting that proxy conflicts remain an ongoing threat decades after their inception. Speaking on a private television talk show, Asif said the proxy war, which began in the 1980s, has evolved into a tool of modern warfare, citing recent explosions in Lahore and Rawalpindi as linked to these tensions.
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He stressed that the immediate threat of conflict remains high following the May 2025 engagement between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. “After the May engagement, the possibility of another war existed, and that risk has not disappeared,” he stated. The Defence Minister highlighted Pakistan’s defensive successes during the four-day conflict, where the Pakistan Air Force shot down seven Indian aircraft, including Rafales, and destroyed an S-400 defence system.
Asif noted that the United States certified Pakistan’s victory and intervened to prevent further escalation. The May war was triggered by India’s missile strikes inside Pakistan, which led to the deaths of civilians and security personnel. In response, Pakistan conducted retaliatory strikes targeting over 20 Indian military sites across multiple regions.
The Defence Minister also pointed to the use of advanced Chinese weaponry during the conflict, as highlighted in a report submitted to the U.S. Congress by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The report noted the successful deployment of China’s HQ-9 air-defence system, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and J-10C fighter jets, marking the first active combat use of these systems.
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Asif concluded by reaffirming that despite these defensive measures and international recognition of Pakistan’s military success, the danger of renewed conflict with India remains a serious concern for the country’s security establishment.