Post-Pahalgam ,India redefines global war against terrorism

Arun Joshi

JK News Today Comment

The Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, 2025 has panned out as one of the most potent cases to launch an all-out war against global terrorism of which Pakistan is the epicentre the global attention and action against terrorism is a vital necessity for the humanity, and smooth world order.

It has turned out that India has led in establishing a new global order against terrorism, reaffirming that the war against terrorism and not incident to incident affair. This fight is not limited to the pages of calendar, it has to be constant and without barriers.

Many unanticipated things have happened since Pahalgam attack. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and Operation Sindoor constituted punishment to the neighbouring country involved in the massacre. Pakistan had staged the attack and the punishment had to be there

. Essentially, it was seen as an assault on Kashmir and the Indian tourists who formed a majority of 26 victims because of their faith.

The attack set a stage for yet another round of confrontation between India and Pakistan . This was the choice made by Pakistan – it started with the terror attack in the serene valley bubbling with the return of tens of thousands tourists from across the country and abroad . Had the attack not taken place , the ties between India and Pakistan would not have deteriorated further .Operation Sindoor, the military action aimed at destroying the terror infrastructure and spirit of it in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir , was escalated into a war by Pakistan. It launched military strikes at Indian military and civilian positions , proving that it could go to any extent to save its terrorism assets, buildings and terrorists alike . The world was alarmed as both India and Pakistan were declared nuclear powers, and finally when Islamabad realized that its gamble has gone wrong , it beseeched for ceasefire on the fourth day of the war.

Pakistan played two cards – first, Pahalgam attack, hoping to scare the tourists, and seeking to revalidate its two nation-theory at a time when Kashmir was forging and strengthening bonds with the country as much aspired for development, normalcy had visited in plenty after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Perhaps Pakistan thought that this major terror attack in the post- Article 370 abrogation would reignite the flames of terrorism. That it had miscalculated became true when the whole of Kashmir came out to protest the carnage and declared “not in my name.”

Second , by escalating the military situation , with the covert and overt backing of China , it thought that India would flinch and restore its waters and scare the world because it did speak about the option of tapping its nuclear weapons in conflict with India. Few countries did bite its bait. But India stayed firm and ultimately it had to retreat and seek ceasefire .

India not only called bluff of Pakistan but also made the world aware that terrorism is the real danger to the stability of the world and its different regions. It is not the question of India versus Pakistan; it is a civilizational war – the civilized world versus demon of terrorism. India was not doing anything to Pakistan until latter staged terror attack in Pahalgam.. It took its counter-terror measures across the border only after the gruesome attack – the message was delivered in February 2019 and September 2016 as well when India launched aerial strikes in response to Pulwama terror attack and Uri attack respectively.

Operation Sindoor laid out a doctrine, which the world knew but rarely acknowledged that terror victims and perpetrators cannot be treated alike.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated this messaging with greater emphasis during his speech at BRICS summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025, when he said: “The victims and supporters of terrorism cannot be treated equally.” This was not something meant for India and Pakistan alone; it had its universal appeal to the conscience of the world.

After Pahalgam, almost all world capitals and the leaders condemned the attack and stated that they stand in solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, some in the world capitals started having different thoughts and perception. When the leaders called for cessation of hostilities because the war could go nuclear, they compromised with their stated principle of punishing the perpetrators .They indulged in dilution of the fundamental rule of humanity that the murderers cannot go unpunished.

Again, Prime Minister Modi invoked the double standards of some in the world, when he said: “Condemning terrorism must be a matter of principle, and not just of convenience. If our response depends on where and against whom the attack occurred, it shall be a betrayal of humanity itself.”

Terrorism is an-all time threat across the world, it calls for a determined fight, not in intervals and selectively. Many countries in the world have understood it, but some have turned their back to this principled stand. They condemn terrorism but host feasts for the perpetrator-in-chief.