“We reserve the right to respond to any act of the adversary at a time and place of our own choosing”, Ranbir Singh told reporters, adding that the army had seized equipment from the Uri base with Pakistani markings.
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“If I get the opportunity, I would join the army myself”, said distraught yet proud daughter of the slain soldier Naik SK Vidyarthi.
The Indian statement comes a day after heavily armed terrorists from Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad stormed an army base in Uri in Kashmir on Sunday killing 18 jawans.
Curtis warned that a military response by India could include targeted strikes on terrorist training camps inside Pakistani territory, but such strikes would nearly certainly lead to military escalation and potential all-out war.
The two countries have fought three wars – in 1948, 1965 and 1971 – since they were partitioned in 1947, two of which were fought over Kashmir.
He retired as a career diplomat in 2005 and has also served on key positions as Foreign Office’s spokesperson, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, DG UN desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DG Disarmament desk at MOFA and several other positions.
Sources said the NIA has filed an FIR in the attack case.
But analysts say that tough rhetoric aside, the range of possible Indian responses to this latest attack are limited.
Covert action, such as cross-border raids on militant camps or training centres, could send a signal to Pakistan but would do little to cool public anger at home. Firstly, it is unknown how confidential information about the change of guard leaked to the terrorists – the 10 Dogra unit, which had served in the area for two and half years, was leaving for Pathankot for new posting and six Bihar unit was replacing them in Uri.
India has for decades accused Pakistan of funding, training and equipping Islamic militants and then helping them cross into the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir. The bus passed through Uri and passengers waited at the frontier ready to cross.
Curtis said the U.S. had forcefully condemned the attack but should go a step further to defuse tensions by calling on Pakistan to rein in terrorist groups operating freely on its soil.
Pakistan has an estimated 120 nuclear warheads against India’s 110, according to the Arms Control Association.
Meanwhile, at the 17th Non Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit held in Margarita Island in Venezuela, Pakistan targetted India for “human rights violation” in Kashmir.
Pakistan denies sending fighters into Indian-administered Kashmir.
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The death toll from one of the deadliest strikes on Indian security forces in Kashmir history has continued to rise, and so too the pressure on Narendra Modi’s government to retaliate.
