I am still looking for the intellectuals who made us believe that the nuclear states do not go to war with each other due to the presence of undefendable nuclear weapons. Perhaps the dicta held its ground during the Cold War era because, after the establishment of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), the two superpowers, the US and the Soviet Union, primarily fought against each other through proxies. However, assuming that the same would happen in South Asia too was perhaps too optimistic or naive.

In the presence of an active dispute between the two neighbouring states, the possibility of military engagement remains with varying degrees of probability. The degree of probability will depend on the evolving international and regional environment, as well as the political will to resolve the dispute by military means of either state.

In this brief article, it is argued that the situation in South Asia differs significantly from the Cold War era. Therefore, we must not be under the illusion that there is no space for war under the nuclear overhang. India and Pakistan have had at least three violent military engagements since the overt nuclearisation of South Asia in 1998.

The 5-Day War between India and Pakistan in May 2025, initiated by India and restrained yet........

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