After a long delay, Asim Munir has finally become Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces, making him the most powerful man in the country. In his speech to mark this moment, he issued a stark warning to India. This follows Munir’s old patterns — keep making anti-India tirades, including issuing nuclear threats against New Delhi
Asim Munir is now Pakistan’s most powerful army chief. And in his maiden speech as the country’s Chief of Defence Forces, he made it a point to flex his muscles — verbally — and send a strong message to India as well as Afghanistan.
Munir’s speech on Monday (December 8) after being elevated to the position of Chief of Defence Forces was full of war rhetoric against India, similar to his ‘jugular vein’ remarks that he made before the Pahalgam attack in India in April.
So, what exactly did Munir say? Should India be worried?
Munir issues fresh warning to India
On Monday (December 8), Munir addressed the country after formally being elevated to the first Chief of Defence Forces. The promotion for the Field Marshal comes after a week’s delay in what experts call the most significant overhaul of Pakistan’s military command structure since the 1970s.
And in a ceremony attended by senior officers from all three services, including Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Asim Munir took the opportunity to indulge in anti-India rhetoric, once again.
He stated, “India should not be a victim of any self-deception or assumption, next time Pakistan’s response will be even swifter and more severe. A clear message has been given to the Taliban regime that it has no choice but to choose between Fitna Al Khawarij (a term used for the outlawed Pakistani Taliban) and Pakistan.”
His remarks were an indirect reference to India’s Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.
He further noted that Pakistan is a peace-loving country, but warned that no one will be allowed to threaten the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, or test its resolve.
“Let all know that the concept of Pakistan is invincible and it is protected by the faith-filled warriors and the firm resolve of a united nation,” said Munir in his speech in the presence of other military officials.
Munir’s anti-India rhetoric
Monday’s remarks from Munir are not totally surprising, considering he’s been indulging in anti-India rhetoric for the past few months. In fact, his warmongering can be dated back to a few days before the Pahalgam terror attack.
Addressing a gathering at an Overseas Pakistani Convention in Islamabad in April, Munir in Urdu said, “ Kashmir is our jugular vein; it will be our jugular vein; we will not forget it.” This one remark by Munir received loud claps and even cheers broke out.
Many experts told The Print that his remarks reflected the ‘Munir Doctrine’ — a defiant return to ideological maximalism on Kashmir, grounded in military resolve and Islamic-nationalist rhetoric.
Even before the jugular vein remark, which India has dismissed by saying that Jammu and Kashmir remains “an integral part of India”, Munir has been talking of Kashmir and a possible takeover.
Earlier in February, he issued an even starker warning from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. “Three wars have already been fought for Kashmir, and if 10 more are needed, we will fight them.”
Later, in August, he repeated the ‘jugular vein’ statement, but this from American soil. Speaking at a black-tie dinner in Washington DC, Munir claimed Kashmir is not New Delhi’s internal matter but an unresolved international issue.
He also referred to the Indus Waters Treaty and New Delhi’s decision to put it in abeyance over the Pahalgam attack, noting that the river “isn’t the Indians’ family property” and claimed Islamabad had “no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river”.
Munir added, “ We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it.”
He went further, issuing an apocalyptic caution about Pakistan’s nuclear posture. “We are a nuclear nation,” Munir said. “If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us.”
And it doesn’t stop there. In October, during the graduation ceremony address at Pakistan Military Academy Kakul in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Munir once again issued a threat to India, saying that New Delhi would incur “heavy losses” in case of a fresh wave of hostilities.
“Should a fresh wave of hostilities be triggered, Pakistan would respond much beyond the expectations of the initiators. The resulting retributive military and economic losses inflicted will be much beyond the imagination and calculations of the perpetrators of chaos and instability,” said Munir.
Reasons behind Munir’s anti-India tirades
But why does Munir keep up with his war rhetoric against Indian? Firstly, India and Pakistan have been rivals for years, with Islamabad claiming Kashmir to be illegally occupied by New Delhi, a claim India has rejected time and time again.
But that isn’t the only reason Munir continues his anti-India tirades. He has made Kashmir a key part of his military priority. He has hardened Pakistan’s official line on Kashmir, even stating once, “Without any doubt, Kashmir will be free one day and part of Pakistan, as per the free will and destiny of the people of Kashmir.”
The Print also notes that Munir’s anti-India rhetoric reflects a deeper ideological current. Munir’s remarks are a part of a broader effort to position Pakistan’s military not only as a security force but also as a guardian of national identity and Islamic values.
Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma (retired), General Bipin Rawat chair of excellence at the United Service Institution of India, also told The Week that the reason behind Munir’s remarks reflect his flawed leadership. “He has undermined the civilian government and pushed the country closer to economic collapse and a near-civil war scenario west of the Indus river. His poor handling of the security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has alarmed China, leading Beijing to halt new projects.
“Moreover, Munir’s tenure has exposed growing internal tensions and leadership failures within the Pakistan army. Last year was particularly grim: 579 civilians were killed in 784 terror attacks ― the highest toll since 2015; 383 security personnel, too, lost their lives.”
The expert adds that unable to address failures on foreign, economic and military fronts, Munir has resorted to the age-old tactic of raising tensions with India.
But should India pay heed to his warnings? No, not really. New Delhi, should, instead keep its eyes on the big picture and focus on rising as an economic power.
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