Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has cautioned against the deepening military ties between Israel and India, describing both nations as Islamabad’s enduring adversaries.

He asserted that their defence cooperation has spanned several decades and should not be mistaken as a recent phenomenon.

Asif made these remarks in an interview with the Urdu edition of The Independent, days after former Israeli Air Force officers publicly revealed details of Israel’s assistance to India during the 1999 Kargil War. The disclosures have reignited debate in Pakistan about the extent of Israel’s involvement in supporting India against Pakistan.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV on 26 July, former Israeli Air Force officers Ami, a former program manager at Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, and Shlomo, a former Mirage squadron commander, confirmed that Israel had provided equipment and technical support to the Indian Air Force during the Kargil conflict.

Ami explained that a defence project initiated in 1996 was rapidly converted into an emergency mission once hostilities broke out. Israel expedited the integration of Litening Targeting Pods and other advanced systems onto India’s Mirage 2000 fighter jets, significantly enhancing their combat capabilities.

The two officers stated that this was the first time they were publicly discussing Israel’s role in the conflict. Their revelations underscored the longstanding nature of Israel–India defence cooperation.

Responding to these disclosures, Asif said they validated Pakistan’s position that collaboration between India and Israel against Pakistan was not new. He emphasised that the hostility existed before Kargil, continued during the war, and persists today.

He argued that both countries remain isolated on the international stage. According to Asif, India has lost much of its limited global standing, while Pakistan now occupies an important position internationally, which he described as an extraordinary achievement of Pakistani leadership.

Asif has previously stirred controversy with his harsh criticism of Israel. On 10 April, he posted on X: “Israel is evil and a curse for humanity.” He further wrote, “I hope and pray people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land… burn in hell.” The post was later deleted but drew condemnation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Following the backlash, Asif reiterated his stance in Pakistan’s parliament, declaring that the Muslim world should recognise India and Israel as its “true and eternal enemies.”

During the brief conflict with India in May 2025, Pakistan claimed that New Delhi had deployed Israeli-made drones. The Pakistani military alleged that India launched drone attacks on multiple Pakistani cities on 8 May 2025 using Harop loitering munitions manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries.

Asif concluded that Pakistan must remain vigilant about the ongoing strategic cooperation between India and Israel. He warned that both countries are expected to continue coordinating on matters that directly affect Pakistan’s interests, making it imperative for Islamabad to prepare accordingly.

Agencies