Pakistan’s 2025 clash with India reveals limits of its nuclear deterrent

A study by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists concludes that Pakistan’s May 2025 confrontation with India exposed the shortcomings of its nuclear deterrent, as nuclear weapons neither halted the conflict nor offered a decisive way out once fighting began. The war followed India’s Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike after a terrorist attack in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam that Islamabad was accused of supporting. Pakistan’s May 2026 anniversary observances gave little emphasis to the 1998 nuclear tests, instead showcasing conventional forces, battlefield successes and the newly created Army Rocket Force Command.

The report ties this shift to the military’s desire for visible legitimacy after a severe credibility crisis, noting that nuclear arms constrain response options due to escalation risks. It also references reports that Pakistan’s national command authority convened near the cease-fire, bringing nuclear command into public discourse. The authors warn other states that Pakistan’s experience highlights the limited utility of nuclear weapons as a universal security solution.