Realpolitik prioritises practical pursuit of national interests, but do these interests - often framed as the nation's — truly benefit the people? Do the people's needs, welfare and potential prosperity justify war? Moreover, who, if anyone, truly wins in war? Is the loser always the ultimate loser, and the winner always the ultimate victor? Are there 'losers' even on the winning side?

These questions gain urgency in the context of the escalating conflict between two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours, demanding critical reflection to preserve sanity in the ongoing Indian misadventures and militarism against Pakistan.

Yet, sanity, truth and foresight often suffer as the first state-sponsored casualties in pre-war or wartime scenarios, drowned out by sensationalised ultra-nationalism and patriotism. For example, the Indian media — better described as 'comedia' — has and continues to fuel war hysteria, jingoism, lies and pro-war propaganda, reflecting the exclusivist and xenophobic tendencies of New Delhi's current political and ideological........

© The Express Tribune