Pakistan’s Anti-India Obsession Cost Its Economy Dearly | Lt Col JS Sodhi

Lt Col JS Sodhi (Retd), a seasoned defence analyst, dissects the long-standing ideological and strategic divide between India and Pakistan. He explains how Pakistan's foundation on two core principles—anti-India sentiment and anti-Hindu religious ideology—continues to shape its policies and military mindset. Drawing attention to the recent comments made by General Naseem Munir, the Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army, Sodhi highlights how these deeply ingrained beliefs remain entrenched in Pakistan’s military and civilian psyche, even decades after its formation. Despite being economically ahead of India in 1950, Pakistan now faces a grim future, with its economy on the brink of collapse while India has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy. The discussion sheds light on Pakistan’s ongoing provocations and its failure to shift its confrontational approach, which, according to Sodhi, lacks the necessary military strength and resources to succeed. This episode offers crucial insights into the geopolitical dynamics shaping the region and why Pakistan’s continued reliance on rhetoric and ideology, rather than military capability, is unsustainable.