Indian military doctrines threaten South Asia’s nuclear stability, NCA warns

He said a “dangerous ideology” shaping Indian military thinking could increase regional tensions and create serious risks.

NCA adviser warns of dangerous military thinking

Jamil, a former director general of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), delivered the warning at a workshop titled ‘Nuclear Deterrence and Strategic Stability in South Asia’. The event was held in London last week and organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, which released a transcript of his speech on Monday.

“Indian military thinking is being shaped by a dangerous ideology, which conflates mythology with national power. The outcome is very risky and delusional Indian military doctrines with a poor strategic sense of nuclear realities are endangering South Asia and beyond,” he said.

Jamil said regional stability depends on understanding the political beliefs and strategic thinking that shape each country’s policies. He argued that political solutions should take priority over military action, especially in a region where India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons.

“The political and strategic thinking of states, therefore, should prefer [a] political approach because military adventurism, hegemonic ambitions are highly risky and unaffordable in the South Asian nuclearised environment,” Jamil stressed.

Kashmir dispute remains a major nuclear flashpoint

Jamil identified Kashmir as the main unresolved dispute between India and Pakistan, warning that it continues to affect the region’s security. He said the issue should be resolved in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.

“It needs to be resolved as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions. But, what we are seeing, on the contrary, is [an] Indian political approach of avoiding the resolution of conflict, because perhaps the Indian leadership believes it has no locus standi on Kashmir when it is presented on the multilateral forums,” Jamil said.

He argued that India had relied on military force to manage the Kashmir dispute and had also used military pressure against Pakistan. According to him, these methods have failed to resolve the conflict, leaving Kashmir a continuing nuclear flashpoint.

Jamil said the unresolved dispute has serious effects on the wider South Asian security environment. He warned that continued tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours could make regional stability more difficult to maintain.

Jamil criticises India’s regional ambitions

The NCA adviser said South Asia’s security problems had developed over many years and were linked to political and strategic differences between neighbouring countries. He accused India of pursuing regional dominance and using coercive policies against its neighbours.

“Indian revisionist and hegemonic political aspirations have [a] long history of Indian coercion and militant violence against all [of] its neighbours. Indian political ideology is based on its mythological concept of violence and revisionism, according to which South Asia, they believe — this traditional belief — that it belongs to [the] Hindu civilisation.

“And, not surprisingly, the country was given a dual name in the constitution, India, that is Bharat, clearly defining the strategic direction of the state to be Bharat,” he said.

Jamil also described the idea of Bharat as a revisionist concept linked to claims over a wider South Asian landmass. He argued that this outlook reflects ambitions for regional dominance under the idea of Hindu civilisation.

Nuclear risks highlight the need for political solutions

Jamil’s address focused on the dangers of military strategies that do not fully account for the consequences of conflict between nuclear-armed states. He maintained that political engagement and dispute resolution are essential to prevent tensions from escalating.

The warning comes against the backdrop of long-running India-Pakistan tensions, particularly over Kashmir. Both countries have nuclear capabilities, making any serious military confrontation a matter of regional and international concern.

Why the warning matters

The speech highlights the risks of relying on military pressure to settle political disputes in South Asia. When nuclear-armed countries face each other during a crisis, even a limited conflict can carry serious consequences.

Dialogue, diplomatic engagement and efforts to resolve outstanding disputes remain important for regional stability. However, Jamil’s statements represent his assessment of India’s military and political approach, rather than an independently established conclusion about Indian policy.