India Must Not Blink: Why New Delhi's Response to Pakistan Was Necessary

When 26 civilians were killed in Pahalgam in April, it didn’t just strike at the heart of Kashmir — it reopened old wounds that India has carried for far too long. The world saw the aftermath. The sorrow. The outrage. And yet again, it saw Pakistan slip into its favorite role: the professional denier.

India’s accusations following the attack weren’t baseless or impulsive. They were the result of pattern recognition — one that dates back years, if not decades. From the 2016 Uri attack to the 2008 Mumbai carnage and now Pahalgam, the common thread has been clear: the ideological and logistical machinery enabling these horrors often traces back to Pakistani soil.

Time and again, Pakistan has washed its hands of these incidents, portraying itself as the innocent neighbor unfairly blamed. But the playbook is tired. Denial, deflection, diplomatic dramatics — it's a cycle the world has watched on repeat. The problem is, every time the world buys Pakistan’s excuses, it places Indian lives on the line.

India’s recent retaliatory strikes, carried out under Operation Sindoor, weren’t warmongering. They were a message. A line was crossed in Pahalgam, and India acted not in vengeance, but in duty — a duty to protect its people and to demonstrate that sovereign patience has its limits.

To be clear: no nation celebrates war. India certainly doesn’t. But when diplomacy is met with deceit, and restraint is mistaken for weakness, action becomes the last remaining option. Pakistan’s insistence on playing victim while harboring elements that support terrorism is not just dishonest — it’s dangerous.

The international community must confront a difficult truth: peace in South Asia will not be possible until Pakistan is held accountable not just by its neighbors, but by the world. This isn't about rivalry or regional power games. It’s about ending cycles of terror that claim innocent lives.

India isn’t escalating. It’s refusing to be silent. And in that refusal, it’s drawing a line not just for itself, but for every nation that believes in the right to exist without fear.

Photo: Wikipedia

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