"The era of conventional hot wars is behind us. India can generate as much heat as it likes on Line of Control including phantom surgical strikes from time to time, which in any case would be strongly retaliated by Pakistan," Adviser National Command Authority Lt Gen (retd.) Khalid Kidwai said.
Speaking at the 6th Workshop on 'Defence, Deterrence and Stability in South Asia' here, Kidwai credited the reduction in chances of convention war to Pakistans "robust nuclear capability" and the policy of "Full Spectrum Deterrence".
He also explained the salient features of the 'Full Spectrum Deterrence' policy, which envisages possession of a full range of nuclear weapons that could reach every part of the Indian territory; having enough yield and numbers to deter rival from its policy of massive retaliation; and having liberty of picking targets.
Speaking about Pakistans nuclear capabilities, he said, the country was self-reliant in nuclear field, but its programme was not the fastest growing in the world.
The NCA adviser renewed the call for resolution of disputes in the region saying as long as that is not done, the region would remain in flux alternating between "strategic stability and instability".
Fragile peace in the meantime, he believed, would be maintained through defence and deterrence postures.