SOURCE: AFI
During the CNN-News18 Defence Townhall held on June 28, 2025, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC), categorically dismissed speculation about an Indian Air Force (IAF) strike on Pakistan’s Kirana Hills, stating, “I don’t think so,” when asked directly about the alleged operation. The Kirana Hills, located in Pakistan’s Punjab province, have long been suspected as a site for Pakistan’s nuclear weapons testing and storage, making any claim of an IAF strike highly sensitive and geopolitically significant.
Air Marshal Dixit’s statement comes amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions following Operation Sindoor in May 2025, where the IAF conducted precision strikes on Pakistani military targets in response to a terror attack in Kashmir.
In the aftermath, unverified posts on X and reports from Pakistani sources, including the ISI-backed Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh (CISSS), speculated that the IAF may have targeted Kirana Hills, a site long rumored to house Pakistan’s nuclear warheads or testing facilities. These claims, amplified by social media, suggested that India’s strikes aimed to neutralize Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, escalating fears of a nuclear flashpoint. Pakistan’s National Command Authority (NCA) convened shortly after Operation Sindoor, signaling heightened nuclear alertness, further fueling speculation about Kirana Hills.
The Kirana Hills, located near Sargodha in Pakistan’s Punjab province, have been a focal point of strategic speculation since the 1980s, when Pakistan reportedly conducted cold tests (non-nuclear explosive tests) of its nuclear devices in the region’s underground tunnels. Intelligence reports, including declassified U.S. documents, suggest that Kirana Hills may serve as a storage site for Pakistan’s estimated 170 nuclear warheads, making it a critical component of its nuclear deterrence. The site’s proximity to Sargodha Air Base, a key Pakistani Air Force (PAF) facility targeted during Operation Sindoor, fueled speculation that the IAF may have aimed to disrupt Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities.
However, targeting Kirana Hills would represent a significant escalation, risking a nuclear response given Pakistan’s lack of a no-first-use (NFU) policy and its reliance on tactical nuclear weapons to counter India’s conventional superiority. India’s NFU doctrine and strategic restraint, as articulated by Dixit, make such a strike unlikely, especially given the IAF’s focus on neutralizing Pakistani airfields and radar systems during Operation Sindoor. The absence of credible evidence, such as satellite imagery or official Pakistani confirmation, further casts doubt on the Kirana Hills claim, suggesting it may be a product of disinformation or propaganda to portray India as an aggressive actor.
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