‘Grave miscalculation’

This is apropos a letter to the Editor from this writer carried by the newspaper yesterday. I would like to add that Pakistan’s advanced capabilities—especially in electronic warfare, missile guidance, and air defense—were not just noticed by India, but also by Washington.

The United States, viewing India as a strategic ally and regional counterweight to China, was jolted by intelligence reports detailing the scope and sophistication of Pakistan’s retaliation plans. The potential damage to India, had Pakistan fully unleashed its military might, was deemed catastrophic.

President Donald Trump convened his strategic team, led by Vice President JD Vance, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Real-time intelligence painted a grim picture: Pakistan’s counteroffensive was not only imminent, but could severely cripple India’s command-and-control infrastructure, disrupt key economic hubs, and dismantle its air defense shield.

JD Vance was dispatched to urgently communicate this intelligence to Prime Minister Modi. The message was blunt: any further escalation would result in irreversible consequences. The strategic calculus shifted instantly.

Modi, once intoxicated with power and emboldened by false notions of invincibility, was brought to his senses. The once defiant leader now faced the reality of defeat, and with surprising haste, he accepted a ceasefire—grasping at the lifeline extended by U.S. diplomacy. Pakistan’s military response was not merely reactive — it was the product of years of strategic planning and technological upgrades.

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF), often underestimated, proved formidable. It not only neutralized Indian air incursions but used advanced jamming techniques to cripple enemy communications, rendering even India’s most prized Rafale jets vulnerable.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025