India is capable of making Pakistan "bite the dust" in less than 10 days in any new war with its arch-rival, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi is under pressure after weeks of protests against a new citizenship law, a slowing economy and the prospect of losing the latest in a string of state elections in New Delhi next month.

"Pakistan has already lost three wars. Our armed forces will not take more than 7-10 days to make Pakistan bite the dust," Modi said in a speech to military personnel on Tuesday.

Wearing a maroon National Cadet Corps baseball cap at the event in the capital, Modi said India's new prowess was thanks to what he called "youthful thinking".

"This is 'youthful thinking'. We carry out surgical strikes and take on terrorists in their homes," Modi said. Modi said that Pakistan continues to wage a "proxy war" against India by backing militants in Indian-occupied Kashmir where tens of thousands of people have died in recent decades.