Escalation dominance vs flexible tailored deterrence |
INDIA has harboured hegemonic and Great Power ambitions in South Asia.
Whereas Pakistan treats India as a sovereign equal and demands the execution of United Nations Security Council resolutions in a judicious manner to permit the Kashmiris to exercise their right of self-determination. The Indian leadership has sought to outpace Pakistan in escalation dominance to establish the Indira Doctrine in South Asia, a replica of the United States’ 1823 Monroe Doctrine in the Western Hemisphere.
Although the Modi government has been frustrated by its tangible lack of military progress in subjugating Pakistan in the May 2025 four-day skirmishes, it is determined to establish escalation dominance by transforming its nuclear posture and modernizing its nuclear arsenal. Escalation dominance is “a condition in which a combatant can escalate a conflict in ways that will be disadvantageous or costly to the adversary while the adversary cannot do the same in return, either because it has no escalation option or because the available options would not improve the adversary’s situation.” To achieve escalation dominance, New Delhi has endeavored to build counterforce capabilities. The pertinent question arises: how does Pakistan respond to India’s drive for escalation domination?
Islamabad opted for a restraint or conflict management approach during a few crises since the overt nuclearization of India and Pakistan, especially in the 2016 Uri attack. The Modi government........