Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir has warned that the country is fully prepared to counter any military action from India, accusing New Delhi of attempts to destabilize the region. Speaking to members of the Pakistani diaspora in Florida during his second U.S. visit in two months, Munir’s comments come amid heightened tensions following May’s four-day conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed the accusations, condemning what it called Pakistan’s “nuclear sabre-rattling” and rejecting any notion of “nuclear blackmail.”

According to Pakistani military officials, Munir told attendees that any Indian aggression would face a “crushing response” and reportedly warned of targeting any Indian dam built on the Indus River with multiple missiles, raising fears of escalation. Indian officials reacted sharply, asserting the remarks undermined regional stability and reiterating concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear command structure. The statements follow a period of deteriorating India-U.S. relations, contrasting with Pakistan’s strengthening ties with Washington and President Donald Trump since the May clashes.

Fallout From The May Conflict

The May confrontation, described as the worst in five decades, involved exchanges of air, drone, and missile strikes, alongside artillery and small arms fire along the shared border. It was triggered by an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, which India blamed on Pakistan — an allegation Islamabad denies. During his U.S. trip, Munir praised Trump for brokering the ceasefire, though India disputes U.S. mediation. Meanwhile, India’s air force claims it downed five Pakistani fighter jets during the fighting, a claim Pakistan denies.