New Delhi: It is high time that India goes aggressive with everything that has a Pakistan connection on every international platform. Operation Sindoor has laid bare the world diplomacy and proven that the battle is one’s own. The solution cannot be brought or aided by anyone else; it lies in standing up and pointing the finger strongly.
India has taken up the banner now, exhibiting confidence and willingness to take on powers that seek to undermine its growth and right to exert, but a lot needs to be done.
In a global environment where diplomacy often turns into delay and where terrorism hides behind sovereign borders, India has rightly chosen a new doctrine of assertiveness. Operation Sindoor is not just a military strike — it is a declaration that New Delhi is no longer content with managing terrorism and its effects; it is committed to eliminating its source.
The April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people was one of the deadliest in recent memory. India’s response, Operation Sindoor, was swift, strategic, and unapologetic. It not only targeted the perpetrators but also signalled the start of a broader shift in policy: India will no longer tolerate cross-border terrorism, and it will not allow Pakistan to hide behind the garb of diplomacy.
Yet, the world’s response to this strong, legitimate act of self-defence revealed uncomfortable truths. The same countries that had condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, many of whom profess to stand against terrorism, were markedly muted about Operation Sindoor. The US, which offered support to deal with the perpetrators, did not put Pakistan on notice. Its sudden changed stance vis-a-vis Pakistan has come as a disappointment to New Delhi.
This has underlined one truth: in a volatile world order, India must fight its own battles — and win them alone. India is now taking the diplomatic fight global, calling out Pakistan’s duplicity at every forum.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s refusal to sign the joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting was a landmark moment. His visible firmness and direct references to cross-border terrorism sent a clear message — not only to Islamabad but also to Beijing, which continues to shield Pakistan at international forums.
This was not just optics. India’s stand at the SCO completely derailed the China-Pakistan narrative. While China stood shoulder-to-shoulder with its ‘iron brother’, India made its stance clear that the group needs to come out strongly on terrorism.
India’s stance since Operation Sindoor reflects a rare clarity and consistency. For the first time in years, India is pushing back — legally, diplomatically, and economically — against Pakistan’s global narratives and attempts to internationalise issues.
Take the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), for example. In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India placed the treaty in abeyance, citing the futility of maintaining goodwill with a state that continues to sponsor terror. When Pakistan approached The Hague-based so-called Court of Arbitration to corner India over the Treaty, India did not mince words. It declared the arbitration process as “illegally constituted” and the panel as having no standing under the IWT. More importantly, it termed Pakistan’s move a “charade” and a diversion tactic to escape accountability as the global epicentre of terrorism.
India’s emerging position is simple yet powerful: Pakistan cannot seek international sympathy while nurturing terrorists on its soil. It cannot be treated as a responsible nation while it continues to destabilise an entire region.
However, while India has started raising its voice louder and more assertively, a lot more needs to be done. For too long, New Delhi has relied on diplomacy laced with restraint. That must now be replaced with diplomacy laced with evidence, exposure, and escalation.
Every international forum — whether it’s the United Nations, G20, SCO, or BRICS — must be used to highlight Pakistan’s dangerous double game.
And it’s not just about speeches. India needs to lead a coalition of like-minded nations that have suffered from state-sponsored terror to ensure that terrorism becomes a central agenda in global policy discussions, not a sideline issue raised only when an attack occurs.
Operation Sindoor has laid the foundation for a new India — one that retaliates when provoked and calls out duplicity when it sees it.
But this must not be a one-off. It must evolve into a doctrine of zero tolerance, where no Pakistani involvement — direct or indirect — is left unchallenged and where every Pakistani attempt to engage, accuse, or mislead is met with facts and firm action.
(IANS)
