India’s Cold Start Doctrine and Pakistan’s Counter Strategy

Abstract

This paper highlights the objectives and Modus Operandi of India’s Cold Start Doctrine, as well as
Pakistan's counter-strategies to protect its national security from Indian attack. The bilateral
relations of both states became distrustful, conflicting, and hostile, as India and Pakistan gained
independence from British rule. India-Pakistan relations are complicated because the century's
most active fault line runs between them. In order to become a major power in South Asia, India is
focusing on developing Pakistan-centric war doctrines, as Pakistan is the only country in the region
with military parity. The Cold Start Doctrine is one such attempt as it aims to achieve military and
political objectives through shallow penetration into strategically important positions. It is a limited
war doctrine that operates below the nuclear threshold. Pakistan, on the other hand, is
strengthening its conventional edge by developing counter-strategies and doctrines as its national
security paradigm evolves. Pakistan successfully developed a conventional advantage and
substantial parity with India, and its tactical nuclear weapons provide a deterrence against any
conventional challenge from India.