India warns Pak over nuclear threats, says any misadventure will have painful consequences

 New Delhi: India has warned Pakistan that any "misadventure" against it would lead to "painful consequences" and urged its neighbour to avoid "war-mongering" and spreading "hateful" rhetoric.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued the sharp response after Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir made nuclear threats and other hostile remarks, echoed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

 "We have noted a persistent pattern of reckless, inflammatory, and anti-India statements from Pakistan's leadership," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at the ministry's weekly briefing.

"It is well known modus operandi of the Pakistani leadership to whip up anti-India rhetoric time and again to hide their own failures. Pakistan would be well-advised to temper its rhetoric as any misadventure will have painful consequences, as was demonstrated recently," Jaiswal said in an indirect reference to India's Operation Sindoor.

During a speech to the Pakistani diaspora in Tampa, Florida, last week, Munir allegedly warned that Pakistan could deploy nuclear weapons against India and "half the world" if it faced an existential threat in a future conflict. He also threatened to destroy Indian infrastructure if water flows to Pakistan were restricted.

India responded to his remarks on Monday, saying the comments reinforced concerns about Pakistan's nuclear command and control, given the military's close ties with terrorist groups. The MEA stressed that New Delhi would not be swayed by nuclear blackmail.

 In recent days, Pakistan's civilian leaders have also increased hostile rhetoric. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sharif warned India against attempting to control the flow of water from cross-border rivers, declaring that "not even a drop" could be taken from Pakistan.

Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7, targeted terrorist facilities in Pakistan-controlled areas in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. The operation sparked four days of intense clashes before a halt to military actions was agreed on May 10.

Jaiswal also dismissed this week's ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which stated that India must allow the flow of western rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty for Pakistan's unrestricted use. "India has never recognised the legitimacy or jurisdiction of this so-called Court of Arbitration," he said, calling its decision legally void and irrelevant to India's rights.

He reiterated India's position from a June 27 statement declaring that the Indus Waters Treaty is "in abeyance" due to Pakistan's ongoing support for cross-border terrorism, including the Pahalgam attack.