Pakistan's victory to impact India's domestic politics: Christophe Jaffrelot

Paris: Pakistan’s recent decisive victory over India in a military engagement has elicited significant international commentary, with French political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot highlighting India’s miscalculations and the impact of Chinese weaponry.

Jaffrelot, a renowned expert on South Asia, stated that India’s “mistake of underestimating Pakistan cost it dearly.”

He underscored Pakistan’s superior preparations and asserted that “Chinese weapons turned the tide of war.”

He further criticized India’s attempt to weaponize the Indus Water Treaty, issuing a stark reminder: “India has tried to turn the Indus Water Treaty into a weapon of war, but it must remember that Pakistan is a nuclear power with China standing alongside it.”

Jaffrelot also predicted profound implications for India’s domestic politics following this defeat. He suggested that “Pakistan’s victory will have a profound impact on India’s internal politics and India will have to adopt a new way of thinking.”

Read More: ‘Don’t use water as a weapon against Pakistan,’ Chinese scholar warns India

Earlier, a senior Chinese scholar Victor Gao has issued a stern warning to India, urging New Delhi not to weaponize water against Pakistan.

Speaking on an Indian television program, Gao strongly reacted to the Narendra Modi government’s potential plans to restrict Pakistan’s water flow, stating that China, as an upstream country, will not remain silent if such measures are taken.

“Any attempt to block Pakistan’s water will be viewed as an attack on the integrity of a close ally,” Victor Gao said. “India, located in the middle course of the rivers, must understand the consequences. If it overreaches, it should remember that China is upstream.”

The Chinese scholar underlined the importance of mutual respect in international relations, adding, “Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.”