By Qamar Bashir
In a fiery address from Bhuj, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a stark yet hollow warning to Pakistan, declaring, “Live a life of peace and eat your roti in calm, or else, my bullet is always ready.” Delivered in the humiliating aftermath of Operation Sindoor, where India suffered a crushing and comprehensive defeat on all fronts, Modi’s bluster masked the reality of India’s exposed vulnerabilities, broken illusions of regional dominance, and the utter failure of its military might against Pakistan’s far smaller yet far more agile and resolute forces. His speech, laced with threats, revealed a dangerous refusal to reflect on India’s strategic miscalculations and a desperate attempt to spin humiliation into hollow bravado. As Pakistan’s air force, missile command, cyber units, and the sheer resilience of its people stood tall, Modi’s empty threats only deepened the cracks in India’s facade of strength, revealing a nation unprepared for the consequences of its reckless aggression.
This aggressive rhetoric, however, is neither new nor constructive. It follows a well-worn script that Modi has often played before elections, invoking Pakistan as a perpetual threat, demonizing an entire nation for internal incidents, and overlooking the possibility of homegrown actors or third-party provocateurs. Modi’s framing, once again, reduces Pakistan to a target and portrays India as the victim, demanding retribution without introspection. Yet, what he ignores—either willfully or due to political expediency—is the ground reality that Pakistan is not Gaza, and India is not Israel. Any bullet fired from one side will inevitably trigger a response—two bullets, five, or even more—escalating into a cycle of retaliation with catastrophic consequences for both.
This is not conjecture; it is history. Since 1947, Pakistan and India have fought five wars—1947, 1965, 1971, 1999, and most recently from May 5 to May 10, 2025. Each war, regardless of its military outcome, has been a loss for the people: lives lost, families torn apart, economies devastated, and generations scarred. Estimates suggest that the cumulative economic loss from these conflicts runs into hundreds of billions of dollars—conservative estimates place the direct and indirect costs at over $250 billion for India and $100 billion for Pakistan, excluding the immeasurable human toll. The 2025 war alone, lasting merely five days, is believed to have cost both nations approximately $100 billion in combined economic damage, infrastructure losses, disrupted trade, and lost productivity.
The pattern is predictable: every war begins with heightened rhetoric, spirals into military confrontation, and ultimately ends at the negotiating table—often right where it all started. So, why not choose the table first and save countless lives and resources? Why not learn from the lessons of history, where every war has brought more pain than gain, more wounds than wins, and more bitterness than breakthroughs?
Central to this perpetual conflict is the Kashmir issue—a festering wound that has fueled tensions for decades. Until this core dispute is resolved in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, lasting peace will remain elusive. Kashmir is not just a piece of land; it is a symbol of unresolved grievances, a humanitarian crisis, and the spark that has ignited many of the wars between the two countries.
While international actors, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, have offered their good offices to mediate a solution, India continues to resist external facilitation, insisting on bilateral dialogue while simultaneously rejecting meaningful negotiations. This stalemate serves no one—least of all the people of Kashmir, who continue to suffer the most.
If India, as the larger country with greater resources and population—five times that of Pakistan—claims the mantle of a rising global power, it must show magnanimity, not arrogance; statesmanship, not saber-rattling. True greatness lies not in coercing weaker neighbors but in resolving disputes honorably, fostering peace, and lifting entire regions into prosperity. Yet, time and again, India’s belligerence has reduced its stature, tarnished its global image, and isolated it diplomatically.
It is high time both nations learn that war is not a solution—it is a multiplier of problems. War kills not just soldiers but children, women, and elderly civilians. It destroys infrastructure, maims economies, deepens hatred, and creates cycles of vengeance. The real cost of war is not measured in missiles fired or jets downed but in homes reduced to rubble, schools turned into graves, and futures robbed of hope.
The alternative path is clear. Dialogue, negotiation, and diplomacy must replace confrontation. Bilateral negotiations, supplemented by third-party mediation where necessary, can address thorny issues like Kashmir, water disputes, and border tensions. These talks should be held in good faith, with a commitment to incremental progress and confidence-building measures. People-to-people exchanges—academic collaborations, cultural programs, tourism, and sports—must continue uninterrupted, creating human bridges that make war unthinkable.
Imagine the dividends of peace: billions of dollars saved annually in defense spending, redirected to uplift millions out of poverty. India’s defense budget alone, at $86 billion, and Pakistan’s, at $10 billion, could fund universal healthcare, world-class universities, and cutting-edge infrastructure. The region’s collective population—over 1.7 billion people—could become a formidable global bloc, comparable in influence to NATO or the European Union, not through militarism but through trade, innovation, and shared prosperity.
This is not wishful thinking. It is the proven trajectory of other regions—Europe, once ravaged by war, now stands united in trade and development. China, Japan, and Korea, despite historical animosities, have built robust economic ties. Even the U.S. and China, amidst fierce competition, maintain over $560 billion in bilateral trade because economic logic outweighs political posturing.
South Asia must learn from these examples. Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh share history, culture, language, and people. Their futures are intertwined. It is time they act accordingly—before another war steals more lives, robs more futures, and deepens the wounds that already run too deep.
Prime Minister Modi must realize that one cannot bomb a path to peace. The Kashmir issue must be resolved, not ignored. Both nations must lower the rhetoric, end the cycle of blame, and focus on building a shared future. The cost of continued conflict is too high, and the dividends of peace are too rich to ignore.
The choice is clear: dialogue or destruction, cooperation or confrontation, a shared destiny or mutual ruin. The time to choose wisely is now.
By Qamar Bashir
Press Secretary to the President (Rtd)
Former Press Minister at the Embassy of Pakistan to France
Former MD, SRBC
Macomb, Michigan, USA
