South Asia Hosts Unresolved Conflicts That Can Escalate Anytime, Warns General Sahir Shamshad Mirza

Singapore:Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, has warned that South Asia continues to grapple with unresolved conflicts that could spiral out of control at any moment.

Speaking at the **Shangri-La Dialogue** in Singapore, General Mirza highlighted that the **Asia-Pacific region has become the geopolitical cockpit of the 21st century**, where crisis management mechanisms remain fragile and institutionally imbalanced.

He emphasized the need for enhanced **strategic understanding** to manage crises effectively. “Sustainable crisis management requires mutual tolerance, respect for red lines, and equality. No mechanism works in an environment of mistrust,” he said.

General Mirza pointed out that **no framework can succeed if key stakeholders are perceived as weak**, or if cooperation structures are used merely as containment tools. He stressed that **stability can only be achieved through genuine partnerships**.

He called ad-hoc responses insufficient and advocated for **institutional protocols**, **hotlines**, and **pre-established de-escalation procedures**, including **joint crisis management exercises**. The General also noted the impact of modern technologies such as **AI, cyber intrusions, and real-time battlefield surveillance** on decision-making, urging that these be factored into contemporary crisis management mechanisms.

Touching on South Asia’s exclusion from Asia-Pacific stability discussions, General Mirza said that **South Asia cannot be divorced from the wider region’s security discourse**. He highlighted the **unresolved Kashmir conflict** as a major flashpoint and stressed the need for actions that eliminate ambiguity and reduce the risk of escalation.

Criticizing the global order, he stated that **power and interests have overshadowed ethics and principles**, and that **modern state-based structures are losing their vitality**. He accused the so-called “guardians of the free world” of violating **state sovereignty, territorial integrity, human rights, international law, and justice**.

Concluding his remarks, General Mirza asserted that **ideological or territorial disputes cannot be silenced—they must be addressed peacefully through credible mechanisms**. He underscored the importance of **strategic communication**, warning that **misunderstandings and misinformation only fuel tensions**.