Ever since the Pahalgam tragedy and especially the onset of the Sindoor Operation in consequence thereof on May 7, 2025, three major achievements in favour of India have been recorded by the circumstances and events incidental thereto. All are unprecedented and history-makers in their own way and charm. When something new happens, as has happened in this context, it becomes necessary to discuss, analyse and debate such a phenomenon. Hereafter, let us discuss this issue in a detailed manner for the benefit and information of all.
Initially, Pahalgam’s acts of genocide and then Operation Sindoor, launched by the government of India, created a sense of tremendous unity among the Indians across the country. This sense of unity within the geographical boundaries of India also reached those distant lands where the non-resident Indians and the people of Indian origin reside. People came out on the streets and parks to show their solidarity in favour of the unfortunate victims of Islamic terrorism in Pahalgam, sponsored and supported by the state of Pakistan. The worst part of the acts of terror included killings by asking the religion of the victims of the tragedy and also ‘issuing a sort of dictum’ by the terrorists to the wailing nears and dears of the killed ones to tell the story of the mass murder to PM Modi.
The government of India, headed by PM Narendra Modi, showed great patience but discreetly went into the mode of serious preparations for a disproportionate response to the acts of terror against the terror operatives active in PoJK and Pakistan. This time, it was definitely a different dispensation at the Centre, unlike 26/11, which seemed in no way to reconcile to the situation and circumstances created wilfully by the terror merchants from within and outside India. The government, in complete harmony and bonhomie with its defence leadership, planned a high-tech offensive against the terrorist camps and their headquarters at nine places in PoJK and Pakistan. The world saw their complete destruction during the night of 6th and 7th May 2025.
Pakistan treated such an attack by India on the nine terrorist camps on the land under its control as an attack on it and responded fiercely on 8th and 9th May 2025 which was completely nullified by the Indian defence system. Instead, India went for a bigger attack consequent upon Pakistan’s unsuccessful attempt to target 26 Indian cities, including Delhi, by using its China, Turkey and US equipment against India. India destroyed eleven air bases in Pakistan and PoJK by engaging in 5th-generation high-tech warfare and also used Brahmos missiles against the nuclear assets in Pakistan near the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It was enough for Pakistan to beg before the world powers to ask for a ‘ceasefire’ for which it was advised to directly get into touch with the Indian authorities.
The two DGsMOs of India and Pakistan declared a halt to the military hostilities on May 10, 2025 at Pakistan’s request, but India made it amply clear that Operation Sindoor was only suspended by India and it has not ended. It continues to exist as a defence strategy of India against terrorism and those who support such terrorism, including the state of Pakistan. There was a great unanimity among the political circles and classes of India in regard to the whole socio-political developments taking place, including the defence preparedness, response and offensive by the nation-state of India.
It was observed for the first time during the last eleven years that the political spectrum across the nation was so united and integral on the issue of terrorism and the government’s response to terrorism. The government headed by PM Modi was assured full support, and the political parties, social groupings and cultural & religious organisations were seen fully behind the government in its operation against the terror and the sponsors of terrorism. In addition to this, the opposition parties, in particular, which had developed a habit of questioning the government on such situations and issues, resorted to strategic silence on most of the issues, thus making it smoother for the government to move ahead as per its plans.
It was a completely new phenomenon unseen during the last eleven years of the Modi regime. The Congress party and its leaders tried to maintain a balance, but however its top leadership in the shape of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, along with a few foul-mouthed spokespersons of the party, tried to raise a few unpleasant questions in the current scenario. Keeping in view the reactions of the public and also of their own senior party members, they had to take a humble pie. The other regional and influential political parties also maintained the necessary calm, and, in tune with the public sentiment, sent appropriate messages to the government and the people at large.
The second unparalleled achievement in this context is that of the role of the foreign and international media platforms that are generally so far used to criticise and castigate India and the Indian government, mostly illogically. However, it was forced to change gears this time. It went hugely against terrorism in Pahalgam and raised serious questions for Pakistan to reply. Pakistan’s ministers, official spokespersons, ambassadors and the so-called intellectuals were virtually fleeced by the international media publicly and on camera over their complicity in the Pahalgam terror carnage. They had absolutely no answers.
As if it was not sufficient, the high-profile ministers of the government of Pakistan couldn’t provide any justification for their support of the terrorist training camps and hideouts in Pakistan. When they were asked about the proof in regard to Pakistan’s claims of destroying the Indian jets they were claiming to have done, they referred to the social media pictures, unashamedly. Their humiliation and embarrassment were seen on air by the world, and the operating global media channels also telecast them repeatedly. The Fox News, Al Arabiya, CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC and ABC made a mockery of Pakistan’s representatives sitting in channel studios or in their cosy homes or offices. Moreover, the Pakistani YouTubers and other media influencers also criticised their own government and their leaders for the speeches, positions, statements and other utterances they were making in the media and in the public about Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor.
The third major achievement for the Indian nation was in relation to giving a message to the international community that India has ceased to be a soft power. From the position of the ‘fragile-five’ of the last several decades, India has emerged as one of the effective global powers in the geopolitics of the current era. India exhibited its might as a regional super-power, an emerging top economy, a leader of the global south and also as the future market for the latest and modern defence production, equipment and sale. The nations like the US, China, Turkey and the whole Western Europe stand shocked to know that their arsenal with Pakistan was put to dust by the Indian Defence (and offence) System, and it came out to be pieces of no consequence before India’s defence preparedness.
The real credit for such accurate, result-oriented and high-value defence equipment that has been integrated with the legendary and modern high-tech war requirements goes to PM Modi, Manohar Parrikar, former Defence Minister and Rajnath Singh, the current Raksha Mantri.
Consequent to their visionary political decisions taken over the last eleven years, India reached its current level of recognition among the comity of nations. This recognition of India throughout the world also exposes the US that camouflaged itself as a friend of India. Henry Kissinger, a legendary diplomat of the US, once said that ‘it was difficult to be an enemy of America but it was also fatal to be a friend of the US’. Donald Trump, in his second stint, proved Henry Kissinger right, possibly inadvertently.
At the time of the drafting of this article, seven parliamentary delegations sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs were on business in different countries of the world, making presentations about the Indian position regarding terrorism and our offensive against terrorism and its sponsors. The delegations comprise MPs of different political parties with different ideologies but with ‘one mission and one vision’ about their nation called India, which is Bharat. The External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, is also on his regular mission, telling the world that it was their imperative to stand against the menace of terrorism lest it will take them over in due course of time. A number of non-governmental initiatives in this regard are also on their move in this context.
Hopefully, this whole exercise on foreign soil by the designated authorities and also by the NGOs will bring the desired results in favour of India. This will surely bring both the short-term as well as the long-term results in our favour; and might be recognised as the fourth non-defence achievement during the defence operations launched by India. Pakistan’s nuclear power threats have also been neutralised and laid to rest by the strategic swift and disproportionate action by India. And Pakistan has been categorically told that Operation Sindoor hasn’t come to an end, with a copy to all the nations of the world, including the UN…!
