US Edition‘Had 30 Seconds to React’: Pakistan PM’s Advisor on BrahMos Missile Strike on Nur Khan Airbase
RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN, JUL 3 – Pakistan had only 30-45 seconds to assess if India's BrahMos missile carried a nuclear warhead, raising the risk of nuclear escalation during Operation Sindoor, officials said.
- On May 7, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, firing a BrahMos missile that struck Pakistan's Nur Khan airbase near Rawalpindi in retaliation for a terror attack in Pahalgam.
- The operation responded to a terror attack where Pakistan-based militants killed 26 Indian tourists, escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
- During the crisis, Pakistan’s armed forces had only half a minute to less than a minute to determine if the BrahMos missile launched by India was equipped with a nuclear warhead, underscoring the high risk of a catastrophic error.
- Rana Sanaullah warned that the extremely limited time Pakistan had—around 30 seconds—to assess the missile launch created a highly risky scenario where a misinterpretation could have led to nuclear conflict, while also noting that India fired the missile without a nuclear warhead.
- This incident renewed calls for stronger crisis communication and confidence-building measures to prevent future escalations and avoid potential nuclear conflict in South Asia.
20 Articles
20 Articles
‘We had only 30 seconds to analyse…’, Pak PM advisor reveals panic moments before India’s BrahMos strike
Both Pakistan and India are armed with nuclear weapons and have a Non-Attack Agreement that specifically pledges not to attack each other's nuclear installations.
Pakistan PM’s Advisor Warns Of Near-Nuclear Crisis After BrahMos Missile Strike On Nur Khan Airbasew
The incident has reignited calls for stronger communication channels and de-escalation protocols between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, whose history has been marked by conflict and deep mistrust.
‘Dangerous Situation, Had Only 30 Seconds To React’: Pak PM's Aide On BrahMos Missile Strike At Nur Khan Airbase
Pakistani official Rana Sanaullah revealed the country had mere seconds to assess if India's BrahMos missile, launched during Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam attack, carried a nuclear warhead.
Rana Sanaullah, a special adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and a senior leader, said that when India fired Brahmos cruise missile at Noor Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, a state of alert was created in Pakistan's defence system, which shook Pakistan's defence system.
Pakistan PM Sharif's aide on Indian BrahMos strike at Nur Khan airbase: 'Had just 30 to 45 seconds to react'
Operation Sindoor: Rana Sanaullah's revelations underscore how perilously close the region came to a potential nuclear confrontation, highlighting the delicate and volatile security dynamics in South Asia.
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