Diplomacy struggles amid unprecedented conflict escalation
A day after India demolished terror infrastructure at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the entire western border became suddenly active for the first time in ages. Swarms of Pakistani drones and missiles flew in—from Bhuj to Jammu and beyond—giving Indian air defence systems and the integrated counter-unmanned aircraft system grid, which includes Russian S-400s, bragging rights on successfully neutralising the attacks. With a fresh wave of enemy drones and missiles flying in at night, blackout sirens rang out across the border, another first in decades. The Indo-Pak face-off was not as intense in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack in 2019 and the Balakot strike, when an alarmed international community took to diplomacy to quickly force Pakistan to stand down.
American diplomacy has not been as nimble-footed this time around, with Donald Trump having turned the world order on its head. Some stirrings of its engagement came the day after the Indian strikes, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In his conversation with Sharif, Rubio urged for concrete steps to end Pakistan's support to terror outfits. Meanwhile, Jaishankar told Rubio that India's response was strictly proportional, adding that any attempt to escalate the situation would be firmly dealt with. If Rubio stepped on the diplomatic gas pedal, Vice President J D Vance appeared to take his foot off by uttering a Trumpian phrase on not getting involved in a war that is 'none of the US's business'. It is this mixed messaging that gives wiggle room to aggressors. Apart from the US, Russia, the UK, and the UN are exploring a role in defusing the crisis. Besides, Saudi Arabia and Iran sent ministers to play peacemaker. While India changed the playbook by not sharing the Pahalgam evidence with Pakistan, it would have handed copies of the probe dossier to the aspirant interlocutors.
Among lenders, the World Bank has already decided not to intervene after India put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Others like the IMF, too, must turn their fund squeeze on the broke exporter of global terror and stare down its army chief, General Asim Munir. As for PM Sharif, he does not have the requisite political stature. Perhaps his seasoned brother Nawaz has the heft to put the genie back in the bottle.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
6 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Pawar says India lacks strong ties with neighbours
Pune: Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), on Tuesday expressed concern over what he termed as the Union government's failure to maintain constructive relations with neighbouring countries. Addressing party workers in Pune during the NCP (SP)'s 26th Foundation Day, Pawar said the current foreign policy has not fostered an environment for effective regional diplomacy. 'During Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership, India had cordial ties with its neighbours,' Pawar noted, contrasting it with what he called a sharp decline in relations with countries such as Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. 'The map of India tells a story — to the north are Pakistan and China, to the east is Bangladesh, and to the south, Sri Lanka. How many of these countries can we claim to have positive and consistent engagement with today?' he asked. Referring to the aftermath of a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Pawar said his party had refrained from politicising the issue, instead choosing to stand behind the government on matters of national security. 'When civilians were killed in the Pahalgam incident, we did not criticise the Centre. We said we would support any firm response,' he said. Pawar said that India's diplomatic position, once respected in the neighbourhood, has weakened. He pointed out that while Bangladesh owes its creation to India's efforts, it now seems distant. 'Sri Lanka is increasingly leaning towards China, raising doubts about its strategic alignment with us,' he said. He concluded by saying that the current situation points to a failure of leadership in nurturing bilateral ties. 'India today cannot claim to have a meaningful dialogue with any of its immediate neighbours. This will come at a cost,' he warned. Pawar also emphasised that his party would not use these issues for political mileage but, along with the Congress and Left parties, would continue to work towards the country's overall progress. Supriya Sule, the party's working president, shared her experience from a recent delegation visit to Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, and South Africa. She said the leaders there spoke warmly of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi. 'Even as they acknowledge Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the legacy of past Indian leaders remains strong in their memory,' Sule said.
Time of India
10 minutes ago
- Time of India
Putin's Men TORCH Ukrainian Positions With Deadly Flamethrowers
/ Jun 11, 2025, 07:32AM IST Russia has deployed its Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower systems near Novopavlovka, targeting Ukrainian positions with thermobaric warheads. The strike came shortly after a Su-34 air raid on a Ukrainian troop staging point, with Russian recon units confirming the site was destroyed.
Time of India
10 minutes ago
- Time of India
A riveting, action-packed year awaits Modi 3.0 on the diplomatic front
The first year of Modi 3.0 will be remembered most for Operation Sindoor, thrusting Pakistan back to the centrestage of Indian foreign policy. By striking terrorist infrastructure deep inside Pakistan, India not only imposed unprecedented costs upon Islamabad for its support to cross-border terrorism but also raised the stakes for the international community's indulgence of Pakistan's duplicity in addressing a core Indian concern. The year also saw milestones being delivered like the India-UK FTA and the India-EU end-of-2025 deadline set by both sides for a similar agreement that the EU has described as the largest deal of its kind anywhere in the world. PM Modi's visit to the US within a month of President Trump's return to the White House, along with the launch of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, was also one of the high points. There were other foreign policy pluses, none perhaps more significant than the breakthrough with China in the form of the successful settlement of the five-year-old border standoff. The thaw in the relationship after the Modi-Xi meeting in Oct in Russia saw India resuming bilateral visits to Beijing and agreeing on a host of measures to normalise ties. Among the highlights was the upgrade in ties with the Taliban with the first political contact in the form of external affairs minister S Jaishankar's talks with the acting Afghan foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi. Modi also garnered international attention for his back-to-back visits to Russia and Ukraine, during which he stressed the importance of direct talks to end the war - something the two sides are engaged in currently. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트 고민 중이라면? 인천 시민이 주목한 33만원 시술 플란치과 더 알아보기 Undo However, many of these foreign policy hits remain an unfinished business and will test India's resolve in the days ahead. On Pakistan, the challenge will be to ensure the global community, particularly the UN Security Council where Pakistan is a member, shows understanding about the punitive terms India has set out in the 'new normal' against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism. This will be critical in the event of another terrorist attack from across the LoC. The all-party delegations have made a beginning but there's more to be done, while being mindful of the risks of India-Pakistan re-hyphenation that such an exercise might entail. Managing the relationship with the US will be another pressing challenge in the second year of Modi 3.0. This has arisen unexpectedly from Trump's constant needling of India on bilateral trade and perhaps even more damaging utterances on the India-Pakistan conflict, like his use of the term mediation - a big taboo in Indian foreign policy lexicon - and his drawing an equivalence between India and Pakistan. India is hoping that not just the US but also its other Quad partners will be more liberal in their support for India on cross-border terrorism, like in the form of a joint statement when the foreign ministers and leaders meet this year. The third significant challenge in the next few months will be to decide whether it's time to reinforce the improvement in ties with Beijing by resuming direct air and normal visa services with and, more importantly, with a visit to the country by Modi for SCO summit. Despite China's ties with Pakistan acting as a deterrent, India has kept the door open for continued engagement. Modi has also shown interest in rebuilding ties with Canada by accepting his counterpart Mark Carney's delayed invitation for the G7 but this will be subject to Ottawa's handling of Khalistani separatists and also the probe into Nijjar murder that wrecked the relationship. Signs of improvement in Pakistan-Taliban ties and the proposal to expand CPEC into Afghanistan might pose a few problems too. All in all, a riveting, action-packed year is what awaits Modi 3.0.
