Beyond Indo Pak…..Pakistan Breaks Big Defense Taboos
By: Arslan Rasheed Malik
Two nuclear powers of South Asia, India and Pakistan, came face to face again in 2025 after the Abinandan episode back in 2019. Pakistan Army launched Operation Bunyan Marsoos on 10th of May. People of South Asia witnessed sun rise along with the rise of Pakistani fighter jets, missiles, and drones. This was neither a normal day start nor a normal day end. World was witnessing the event as something confined to India and Pakistan only. But, this was beyond Indo Pak. It was not ended with just a defeat of India. Instead, the event brutally broke the big defense taboos which have jolted the P5 countries. The recent Indo Pak saga has changed the defense dynamics worldwide along with changing view of world powers towards the real hegemon of the South Asia.
Pakistan retaliated Indian attack by four dimensional war by attacking India with fighter jets, missiles, drones, and cyber attacks along with stand by Navy for any possible Naval front. This four dimensional war did not only defeated India but also broke five big taboos along a number of other achievements. First, French made Rafale jet was being considered as undefeated. Featured with latest and modern techniques with having an undefeated track record this jet was considered to be the finality of Air power. But, in the current Indo Pak skirmishes, Pakistan successfully shot down three French Made Indian Rafales. The news was unacceptable for the world as the defense analysts during last two decades had made the image of Rafale as something untouchable. But, the Pakistan Air Force shot down three Rafales and broke this taboo. Defeat of Rafales by PAF resulted in huge loss to parent company as the shares of company also dropped down with the shot down of Rafales. Besides this, it has exposed the French defense system worldwide due to which France is not happy with India. So, the defeat was not just of India, but of France also.
Second, Israeli made drone, Harop, was considered as one of the most expensive and the most dangerous drone in the world. It has the capability of traveling 1000km while carrying the warhead of 23kg. It can easily stay in the air for 10 hours. It has the ability to reach target by itself while sending the signals and whole path back to its country. This is basically a suicidal drone that explodes itself reaching the target. These drones are not normally used in the conflicts. Countries keep them private and usually use them wisely when needed. But, after failure of Rafales, India decided to attack Pakistan with these drones. Hundreds of these expensive drones were fired over Pakistan. But, again the defense system of Pakistan kept on successfully targeting these drones and now we have such a big number of these drones in hand that we can build a proper graveyard of Israeli made Indian drones in Pakistan. So, this was break down of the taboo that Harop is something uncontrollable. Defeating Israeli made Indian drone is basically the defeat of Israel.
Third, Russian made S400 missile defense system was being considered as the best shield against any aerial attack. This is a very expensive defense system which India had bought from Russia in 5 billion dollars. The S-400 air defense system can target up to 600 kilometers away and engage almost all modern warplanes. This was again another taboo for the defense world. But, Pakistan successfully destroyed Indian S400 missile defense system in Adampur by firing Hypersonic missile from JF-17 thunder jet. The system which was there to safe country from missile attacks itself become the prey of Pakistani missile. So, this was the breaking of another taboo and an indirect defeat of another country, Russia.
Fourth, there was a taboo that Pakistan can never win a conventional war against India. So, whenever there will be a war Pakistan will have to respond back with nuclear. In fact, when the recent saga started the world was comparing the number game of conventional resources of both countries where Pakistan was laying quite behind. But, now the world is shocked as Pakistan has successfully fought its conventional war against India. Pakistan has badly defeated India in a conventional warfare for which the so called elites of Defense paradigm, think tanks, professors, and writers have maintained a taboo that Pakistan can never compete with India in conventional warfare. So, this taboo is also broken now.
Fifth, for last couple of years India was trying to come on the map of the world as the sole hegemon of this region. The uplift of the economy of India had attracted the world powers. Big key players of the world, including USA, UK, France, and others were somehow underestimating the power and importance of Pakistan just because of Indian growing economy and big market. Therefore, these countries signed a number of defense pact with India. They spent billions of dollars to uplift India against Pakistan. These big powers were of the view that India is going to rule South Asia so we should have her in our pocket. India, the sole hegemon of South Asia, was another taboo which has been destroyed badly.
Indo Pak saga is not something confined to India and Pakistan only. Its results can be witnessed beyond Indo Pak. Indian failure against Pakistan has exposed Rafale of France, S400 missile defense system of Russia, Harop missile of Israel, India VS Pakistan comparison on basis of conventional resources, and political wisdom of west towards South Asia. On the other hand, the way through which Pakistan Air Force did hours long dogfight with one of the largest Air Force of the world, IAF is a new history. Western think tanks will have to revisit the defense taboos which they had crafted. They will have to change the perspective about the real hegemon of South Asia.
Pakistan has made world to think beyond Rafales, S400 Missile Defense system, Harop, and Indian Hegemony. Yes, the impact is beyond Indo Pak.
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Arslan Rasheed Malik is a Islamabad based journalist , he is a regular Writer @ themind.pk
