Pakistan Accuses India of Imminent Military Invasion as Border Tensions Boil Over
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, stated that the country has significantly reinforced its military posture, in anticipation of what he claims to be an impending Indian cross-border offensive.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Pakistan has warned that a full-scale “incursion” by Indian military forces is likely imminent, in what Islamabad describes as retaliation by New Delhi over the recent deadly security incident in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead and has been attributed to Pakistani elements.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, stated that the country has significantly reinforced its military posture, in anticipation of what he claims to be an impending Indian cross-border offensive.
Speaking amid soaring tensions between two nuclear-armed rivals, Asif emphasized that Pakistan has elevated its forces to the highest state of operational readiness, warning that the country’s nuclear weapons would only be employed if “an existential threat” materializes.
“We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation, some strategic decisions have to be taken, and those decisions have been taken,” he said during an exclusive interview with Reuters at his ministerial office in Islamabad.
According to the Pakistani minister, military briefings have already been conducted for the civilian leadership, outlining potential Indian military operations that could escalate the ongoing standoff into a broader conflict.
However, Asif refrained from offering specific details on the intelligence assessments or operational indicators that led Pakistan to anticipate imminent Indian military actions.
Pakistan’s F-16
In recent days, India’s military posture has visibly shifted, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) deploying frontline Rafale fighters and naval warships participating in large-scale exercises, movements seen by defence analysts as a strategic signaling towards Pakistan.
Although Indian official sources insisted that these activities were part of routine operational drills, historical patterns suggest that such maneuvers often precede escalations in bilateral conflicts.
The scale and intent behind the Indian exercises were made evident by the deployment of the IAF’s top-tier Rafale multirole fighters during Exercise Aakraman (“Attack”), which notably involved elite “top gun” pilots from India’s premier squadrons.
As part of the intensive maneuvers, IAF pilots executed high-tempo ground strike missions across diverse landscapes, including mountainous regions that mirror operational environments along the Line of Control (LoC).
The magnitude of the exercise was further underscored by the redeployment of multiple high-value air assets from several airbases, including facilities on India’s eastern frontier, showcasing a shift towards multi-front operational readiness.
These drills incorporated long-range sorties and precision-guided munitions (PGMs) strikes against remote targets, reflecting doctrinal preparations for deep-penetration strike missions into hostile territory.
Pesawat pejuang JF-17 Pakistan dilengkapi dengan peluru berpandu udara-ke-udara jarak jauh PL-15.
In a parallel show of strength at sea, the Indian Navy conducted successful test firings of its Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) system, a highly symbolic demonstration of its enhanced air defence capabilities amidst heightened regional tensions.
During the live-fire exercise held in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy’s state-of-the-art guided missile destroyer, INS Surat, launched the MR-SAM system developed jointly with Israel, reinforcing India’s growing emphasis on indigenous and cooperative defence technologies.
The MR-SAM, boasting an effective engagement envelope between 70 and 100 kilometers, achieved a successful intercept and destruction of its intended target, demonstrating robust effectiveness against airborne threats, including tactical ballistic missiles and enemy aircraft.
“The Indian Navy ship successfully executed multiple missile tests, demonstrating platform readiness, crew competence, and the capability to conduct long-range strikes,” the Navy announced in a post via its official X (formerly Twitter) social media account.
A senior Indian defence official, quoted by national media, elaborated that “the latest anti-ship missile firings showcased the ship’s ability to transition seamlessly from peacetime operations to full combat readiness without requiring a return to port.”
Indian Navy INS Surat launching MR-SAM missile
The MR-SAM represents a key pillar of India’s medium-range air defence architecture, having been co-developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), reflecting deepening Indo-Israeli defence cooperation.
Designed to neutralize a wide array of aerial threats including fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the MR-SAM leverages advanced AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar technology to deliver high-precision tracking and engagement capabilities under all-weather, high-jamming operational environments.
INS Surat (D69), a Visakhapatnam-class destroyer built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) under Project 15B, epitomizes India’s efforts to field blue-water naval assets capable of integrated anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.
Commissioned in May 2022, INS Surat is the fourth and final unit of its class and is outfitted with an array of cutting-edge weapon systems including the supersonic BrahMos anti-ship missiles, MR-SAM batteries, heavyweight torpedoes, and advanced electronic warfare suites.
Meanwhile, across the border, Pakistan showcased new images of its JF-17 “Thunder” multirole fighters, armed for the first time with the Chinese-supplied PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles, in a move analysts view as a counter to India’s air superiority assets.
The images also depicted the JF-17s carrying PL-10 short-range infrared-guided missiles, further augmenting the aircraft’s beyond-visual-range (BVR) and within-visual-range (WVR) engagement capabilities.
Peluru berpandu dibangunkan India “Agni”Type 039A atau kapal selam Yuan
Reports indicate that China has accelerated deliveries of the PL-15 missiles to Pakistan under an expedited security cooperation framework, aimed at narrowing the aerial combat advantage currently held by Indian Rafale and Su-30MKI fleets.
The PL-15 is a fourth-generation, long-range BVR air-to-air missile featuring an active AESA radar seeker and capable of engaging targets at Mach 4 speeds, thereby offering a potent strategic deterrent against superior enemy air assets.
Developed by China’s Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the PL-15 is widely recognized as one of the world’s most formidable BVR missiles, rivalling the U.S. AIM-120D AMRAAM and Europe’s Meteor missile in performance metrics.
With a reported operational range exceeding 300 kilometers, the PL-15 gives its launch platforms — including the JF-17 Block III — unprecedented stand-off engagement capabilities far beyond most legacy platforms in South Asia.
Regional military analysts suggest that the induction of the PL-15 dramatically enhances Pakistan’s ability to conduct long-range air combat operations, while expanding the strategic reach of the JF-17 fleet deep into contested airspace.
The introduction of the PL-15 into Pakistani service presents a significant tactical dilemma for the Indian Air Force (IAF), compelling a possible recalibration of engagement doctrines for key Indian fighter platforms such as the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and Mirage 2000.
With tensions along the India-Pakistan frontier simmering and both militaries visibly posturing for possible escalation, the subcontinent remains perched precariously at the edge of another potential flashpoint that could have far-reaching consequences for regional and global stability.
