New Delhi: indian army Western Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar said on Thursday that Pakistan is fully prepared for future contingencies and will not be intimidated by Pakistan’s nuclear threat. He warned Pakistan that any future conflict would end with a decisive outcome on the ground.Addressing the troops after the investiture ceremony at the Dean Singh Stadium at the Mamoun military base, Lieutenant General Qatiar said Pakistan sought a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor while issuing nuclear threats. “They said if they fell, they would take half the world with them. We ignored the threats then and now we are better prepared and have clear plans for the future,” he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.
The commander called on Pakistan’s military leadership to maintain a “war-like situation” to maintain influence at home, saying India’s leadership was focused on national development while Pakistan’s generals were driven by the need to retain power. He said that Pakistan lacks the courage and ability to fight openly and instead relies on proxy wars to provoke escalation.“Pakistan has repeatedly used terror groups to provoke India so that when we retaliate, it can create a war-like situation and win domestic support,” he said, adding that Islamabad had misled its people with false victory narratives and media propaganda. “This time, we won’t give them that chance,” he added.Lieutenant General Katyar emphasized that future operations will not only target bases and outposts. “Our victory will be on the ground and decisive, and they will be forced to accept defeat in front of the whole world,” he said.Highlighting the role of the Western Command formations, he told troops that their preparations would be critical for any future operations. “You have to be prepared to enter enemy territory, seize key areas and inflict damage while also protecting Jammu and Punjab,” he said, adding that the country’s expectations require the highest operational readiness.India’s preparedness should act as a strong deterrent, he said. “Our preparations must make the enemy think twice before anything untoward happens,” he said.“The danger has not gone away. Our response must be stronger than before,” he said, adding that Pakistan had failed to learn lessons from past conflicts, including the 1971 war and the Kargil conflict.
