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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Comparing 1971 India-Pakistan war & Operation Sindoor
Dr. Prashant Prabhakar Deshpande has post-graduated in Economics with a Gold Medal in 1976 and was awarded a Ph.D in Social Sciences from Nagpur University in 2007. Introduction In the aftermath of the Operation Sindoor Congress has been highlighting Pakistan's surrender to India in 1971 Bangladesh war during Smt Indira Gandhi's premiership. However, according to experts, the exercise is futile. According to them, while both achieved their respective objectives, they differ significantly in context, scale, and impact and should be viewed within their distinct historical and strategic frameworks. According to experts, the 1971 war was a full-scale military conflict triggered by widespread human rights violations and a massive refugee crisis in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, where the Pakistani army persecuted the Bengali population, forcing nearly 10 million refugees to flee to India. In response, India initially provided humanitarian aid and extended support to the Bengali resistance force, the Mukti Bahini. When Pakistan launched an attack on both eastern & western fronts, India declared a full-scale war, engaging across land, air, and sea, achieving a decisive victory, leading to the liberation of East Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh, leading to a significant territorial and political shift in South Asia. According to experts, Operation Sindoor in contrast, was a precision military strike launched to dismantle terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) to avenge the massacre of 26 Indian tourists in J&K's Pahalgam on 22nd of April, 2025 destroying 9 terror hideouts using advanced technology, including drones, satellite imagery, and precision-guided weapons. The operation was aimed solely at terrorist infrastructure avoiding civilian or military targets, the objective being to curb terrorism and deliver a strong message to Pakistan without escalating into a full-scale war. After Pakistan's retaliatory strikes, however, India responded firmly that culminated into an agreement to hold fire & military action on May 10, 2025. Comparing 1971 & 2025 According to military experts, comparing the 1971 war with Operation Sindoor is not appropriate, as both had vastly different objectives and contexts. While the 1971 war resulted in the creation of Bangladesh, Operation Sindoor was a limited but targeted military action aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure. While the 1971 war reshaped South Asia's political landscape, Operation Sindoor sent a strong message to Pakistan and the terrorist groups it backs, without escalating into a broader conflict. Achievements of Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor reportedly targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, resulting in the destruction of two terrorist headquarters, reportedly killing several terrorists, including 2 designated by the United Nations and 8 on India's most-wanted list. Operation Sindoor highlights a shift towards a proactive defence strategy adopted by India, ensuring national security and regional stability. The destruction of terror camps and Pakistani military assets has sent a strong message to adversaries, reinforcing India's commitment to counter-terrorism. India's precision strikes under Operation Sindoor showcased a modern military doctrine targeting terror camps and Pakistani military installations without engaging in prolonged warfare. India's approach focuses on economic dominance, strategic deterrence, and controlled military engagements, underscoring India's long-term vision, ensuring national security without compromising economic growth under the Viksit Bharat Vision. India agreed to the Pakistani DGMO's request to halt firing & military action only after it achieved its objective to destroy terrorist camps, forcing Pakistan's military to plead. India's actions demonstrated its firm stance against terrorism and cross-border aggression. The country demonstrated its military prowess neutralising half a dozen US and China-made fighter jets along with hundreds of Turkish and Chinese drones deployed by Pakistan in addition to destroying 9 terror camps, eliminating 100+ terrorists, including masterminds behind the Kandahar hijack and 26/11 Mumbai attacks & causing significant losses estimated at $10 billion+. Operation Sindoor demonstrates a decisive shift in India's counter-terrorism strategy, aimed at delivering swift and targeted responses, rather than issuing warnings . Reasons behind India's agreeing to Pakistan's request to hold fire & military action According to experts in today's world, military confrontations are not solely about territorial gains but about economic stability, precision strikes, and global influence. Unlike 1971, when full-fledged warfare was the only viable option, today's geopolitical landscape demands calculated actions that align with economic and strategic priorities, according to them. A prolonged war with Pakistan would derail India's economic growth, disrupt Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), and slow down job creation, negatively impacting the country's development trajectory. As global manufacturing shifts away from China, a prolonged conflict could prevent India from emerging as a key manufacturing hub, securing Beijing's economic dominance. Unlike traditional warfare, modern conflicts focus on precision military operations that weaken adversaries without engaging in prolonged war. Economically fragile and politically unstable Pakistan has nothing to lose from prolonged military engagements. However, China and the US Deep State have vested interests in India's prolonged involvement as: – Pakistan serves as a front for major global powers to sell weapons and destabilize India. – A long military conflict would weaken India's global position, similar to how the West pushed Russia into a multi-year war with Ukraine. Opposition's Nefarious design to play politics on Operation Sindoor Indian opposition parties, including India's grand old party, Indian National Congress, which was in power at the Centre which remained passive after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, are now pushing for war to: Disrupt the government's economic policies by forcing it into a long military conflict, and; Create public discontent if the government refuses to escalate the war, labelling it as weakness. These parties do not realise or do not want to realise that they are playing into the hands of India's adversary, Pakistan, which has been since long harbouring terrorists, doing a disservice to the nation, discrediting & demoralising the country's Armed forces. Epilogue India's recent military operations highlight a shift towards proactive defence strategies & by destroying terror camps, sends a strong message to adversaries, reinforcing India's commitment to counter-terrorism. According to experts, while the Shimla Agreement signed after the 1971 war was aimed at diplomatic resolution, India's modern defence approach underscores the necessity of military deterrence in safeguarding national interest, considering it futile to compare 1971 war & Operation Sindoor. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor: Showcasing India's technological capability & growing military prowess
Dr. Prashant Prabhakar Deshpande has post-graduated in Economics with a Gold Medal in 1976 and was awarded a Ph.D in Social Sciences from Nagpur University in 2007. LESS ... MORE Introduction In retaliation to the barbaric terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam on 22nd of April 2025, India launched a calibrated military response, Operation Sindoor, that showcased the country's growing technological prowess. The operation was a symbol of India's commitment to protecting its citizens and territory from the scourge of terrorism. India's military forces demonstrated exceptional skill and precision, using cutting-edge technology to neutralise multiple threats and eliminate terrorist infrastructure. The terrorist attack on Pahalgam was an example of the evolving pattern of asymmetric warfare, where unarmed civilians and military personnel are being increasingly targeted. India's response to this dastardly attack was deliberate, precise, and strategic with Indian forces striking terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan without crossing the Line of Control (LoC) or international boundary. The successful execution of the Operation Sindoor is hailed to have led to a major achievement in India's move towards technological self-reliance in military operations. India's Air Defence capabilities On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to attack a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including, Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj using drones and missiles. These were however neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Grid and Air Defence systems, Air Defence systems detecting, tracking, and neutralising threats using a network of radars, control centres, artillery, and both aircraft and ground-based missiles. On the morning of May 8, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, even neutralising an Air Defence system at Lahore. India's Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Grid and Air Defence Systems are a collection of sophisticated, multi-layered technological framework designed to detect, track, and neutralise any incoming hostile drones, missiles, and aerial threats into Indian airspace or terrestrial land border. Performance of indigenous systems Operation Sindoor, reportedly used the following Indigenous Systems which showcased a stellar performance: Battle-proven Air Defence systems like the Pechora, a surface-to-air missile system, OSA-AK, a surface-to-air missile system, and LLAD guns, the Low-level air defence guns; Indigenous systems such as Akash, which demonstrated stellar performance. Akash, a Short-Range Surface to Air Missile system can reportedly simultaneously engage multiple targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode. Shooting at multiple targets requires a combination of skill, focus, and strategy. Engaging multiple targets is as much a physical challenge as a mental one. The ability to engage multiple threats efficiently and safely is a valuable skill when one finds oneself outnumbered. The Akash Weapon System has built-in ECCM (Electronic Counter-CounterMeasures) features and is configured i.e., arranged, or put together in a particular form or configuration on mobile platforms. The ECCM is a method, by which one endeavours to combat the ECM (Electronic Countermeasure) systems of the enemy by: Either making one's equipment ECM-resistant or; By using techniques to nullify the enemy's jamming and/or decoy systems. Decoy Systems are one of the many tools used to protect one's information systems from potential cyber threats. As the name suggests, a decoy or imitation system is designed to distract or divert a potential hacker away from actual critical systems. Seamless integration of technology The Indian Armed Forces reportedly demonstrated exceptional synergy in their use of technology during Operation Sindoor. The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force brought all elements together providing the net-centric operational capability to the forward edge of the battlespace, enabling full spectrum dominance vital in modern warfare. Full-spectrum dominance also known as full-spectrum superiority, is a military entity's achievement of control over all dimensions of the battlespace, effectively possessing an overwhelming diversity of resources in such areas as terrestrial, aerial, maritime, subterranean i.e., under the ground, extraterrestrial, psychological and cyber-technological warfare. The use of long-range drones, guided munitions, and loitering munitions made the strikes highly effective. Evidence of neutralised threats The Operation Sindoor provided concrete evidence of hostile technologies neutralised by Indian systems, including: Pieces of PL-15 missiles of Chinese origin; Turkish-origin UAVs; Long-range rockets; Quadcopters, a category of drones which are controlled by four rotors with four arms stretching out of a frame, and; Commercial drones. These were recovered and identified, showing that, despite Pakistan's attempts to use advanced foreign-supplied weaponry, India's indigenous air defence and electronic warfare networks proved superior. Role played Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) A crucial role was also played by the satellites of ISRO in ensuring the safety and security of the country. At least 10 satellites reportedly worked round-the-clock to monitor the country's borders and provide vital information to the military. It must be noted that the use of satellite technology has become increasingly important in modern warfare and India's investment in this area has paid off during Operation Sindoor. Epilogue Operation Sindoor decisively demonstrated to Pakistan & its all-weather friends, China & Turkiye that, despite Pakistan possessing advanced foreign-supplied weaponry, India's indigenous air defence and electronic warfare networks proved superior during Operation Sindoor launched by India to avenge the dastardly attack by Pakistan backed terror outfits destroying their training & indoctrination centres. Operation Sindoor is seen, not just a story of tactical success, but a validation of India's defence indigenisation policies. From air defence systems to drones, from counter-UAS capabilities to net-centric warfare platforms indigenous technology has delivered when it mattered the most. The fusion of private-sector innovation, public-sector execution and military vision has enabled India to not only defend its people and territory, but also assert its role as a hi-tech military power. In future, conflicts on the battlefield are going to be increasingly shaped by technology. India, as demonstrated during Operation Sindoor, armed with its own innovations, backed by a determined state, and powered by the ingenuity of its people is therefore future ready to play its role in any future conflicts. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Territorial ambitions of China in South China Sea & the future of rule-based Indo-Pacific
Dr. Prashant Prabhakar Deshpande has post-graduated in Economics with a Gold Medal in 1976 and was awarded a Ph.D in Social Sciences from Nagpur University in 2007. At the third India-France-Australia trilateral focal points meeting in Delhi on 19th June 2024, the three countries have vowed to work jointly towards a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific amid China's growing muscle-flexing in the region. The three sides reportedly reviewed progress made under the three pillars of trilateral cooperation, namely: Maritime safety and security; Marine and environmental cooperation, and; Multilateral engagement. The meeting identified new proposals for furthering the trilateral cooperation under the framework of the Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) mechanisms. The Ministry of External Affairs had stated in a statement that, the 3 countries have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing their shared values working together towards a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. The IPOI is an open, inclusive, non-treaty based, global initiative that was announced by PM Narendra Modi at the 14th East Asia Summit in November 2019 to promote collaborative efforts among like-minded nations to better manage, conserve and secure the Indo-Pacific maritime domain, while, the IORA is an inter-governmental organisation, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation. New China rules to detain foreigners in South China Sea China claims almost the entire South China Sea brushing aside the competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines, although The Hague Tribunal had concluded in 2016 that China's claims to historic rights within the 9-dash line were contrary to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and have no lawful effect beyond the maritime entitlements granted under the convention. The panel had also held China's activities within the Philippines' 200 nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), such as illegal fishing and environmentally ruinous artificial island construction infringed on Philippines' sovereign rights. Disregarding the claims of Southeast Asian nations & the international ruling, China however continues to deploy coast guard and other boats to patrol the waters and has turned several reefs into militarised artificial islands. Chinese and Philippines vessels also had a series of confrontations in the disputed areas. Under the New Chinese coast guard rules that took effect from June 15, 2024, it can detain foreigners for trespassing in the disputed South China Sea. The Group of Seven bloc (G7) has also criticised the incursions by China in the waterway as being dangerous, opposing China's militarisation & intimidation activities in the South China Sea. The US Navy and others undertake voyages in the South China Sea to assert the freedom of navigation in international waters which Beijing considers as violations of its sovereignty. In the past, China had objected to the US and other Western warships sailing through the South China Sea & Chinese and US forces having had a series of close encounters in the South China Sea. Importance of South China Sea South China Sea is a vital waterway through which trillions of dollars of ship-borne trade annually passes. Huge unexploited oil and gas deposits are also believed to lie under its seabed & the sea is also important as a source of fish for the growing populations. Malaysia and Brunei also have overlapping claims in some parts. However, most recently confrontations between China and the Philippines have raised fears of a wider conflict over the sea that could involve the United States and other allies. The flashpoints An escalating diplomatic row and recent maritime run-ins between China and the Philippines are said to have made the highly strategic South China Sea a flashpoint. Central to the recent standoffs between the Philippines and China are two hotly contested features located inside Philippines's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, which China claims as its own. China uses the so-called 9-dash line that takes in about 90% of the South China Sea to assert its claim to sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal, a submerged reef coveted for its bountiful fish stocks, and the Second Thomas Shoal, home to a small contingent of Filipino sailors living aboard a rusty warship that Philippines intentionally grounded in 1999 to further its territorial claims. China has deployed hundreds of coastguard vessels to patrol these areas, alarming the Philippines, rival claimants and other states operating in the South China Sea. The United States is also said to be wary of China's growing military power and territorial ambition. Encounters between the Philippines and China in Asia's most contested waters have grown more tense and frequent over the past year as China has pressed its claims and Philippines has refused to cease its fishing and resupply activities to Filipinos at the two shoals which China considers to be illegal intrusions and has therefore tried to repel the vessels. China's coastguard has stepped up so-called grey-zone activities such as, use of water cannon, collision, and ramming tactics, and, according to Philippines, use of a military-grade laser to try to stop the Philippines resupply and patrol missions & has also deployed an armada of fishing boats which the Philippines and allies consider militia. China's actions have also drawn international condemnation and concern from major powers including the United States, Japan, Australia, France, and Britain. Epilogue Amid the rise in tensions with China, the Philippines has strengthened its partnerships with other Indo-Pacific neighbours & signed deals to increase base access, joint exercise training, and weapons transfers with the United States. Japan has also stepped up its presence in recent years by selling military equipment to the Philippines and Vietnam to improve maritime security capacity. However, to prevent China's prospective domination of a main artery of global trade, nothing less than a multilateral approach is considered necessary through an optimal combination of engagement and deterrence. Like-minded powers and China's besieged neighbours need to collectively deploy a combination of diplomatic, economic, and military countermeasures to uphold a free and open order in the world's most dynamic region. The India-France-Australia trilateral focal points meeting in Delhi therefore assumes importance in the emerging scenario. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India demonstrates its diplomatic & military prowess through Operation Sindoor
Dr. Prashant Prabhakar Deshpande has post-graduated in Economics with a Gold Medal in 1976 and was awarded a Ph.D in Social Sciences from Nagpur University in 2007. In a significant counter-terror operation named 'Sindoor,' India targeted key terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK in retaliation to the Pahalgam attack. The strikes, executed by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, focussed on Bahawalpur and Muridke, known centres for Jaish -e-Mohammed (JeM) Lashkar -e- Taiba (LeT) respectively. Operation Sindoor, a coordinated, multi-service strike by Indian forces devastated key terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Among the most strategically important targets hit were Bahawalpur and Muridke, known for decades as the nerve centres of JeM and LeT respectively. Intelligence inputs and satellite reconnaissance helped identify 9 terror sites, 4 in Pakistan and 5 in PoK housing critical infrastructure used for recruitment, indoctrination, and training of terrorists with Bahawalpur and Muridke high on that list. These locations reportedly were part of a larger network of 21 indoctrination and launch pad centres spread across the region and maintained by Pakistan for over 3 decades. The strikes came in direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which killed 26 Hindu tourists. Bahawalpur: The headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed Bahawalpur, located around 100 km inside Pakistan's Punjab province, has long been the ideological and operational epicentre of JeM which has served as the primary headquarters of JeM since 2015. At Bahawalpur, JeM has been known to conduct regular arms training, physical combat exercises, and intense indoctrination targeting young recruits from across the region & has been known to be directly associated with major terrorist plots, the Pulwama attack of February 14, 2019 which killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. The precision missile strikes by Indian armed forces left this terror bastion in ruins. Muridke: Lashkar's cradle of jihad Muridke, located 18–25 kms inside Pakistan is LeT's terror front with Markaz Taiba, a vast training and radicalisation complex established in 2000 known as the nourishing mother of LeT cadres which has churned out hundreds of operatives each year, offering training in arms, physical endurance, and religious extremism. The site has also attracted international terrorists including Ajmal Kasab, the only attacker captured alive in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, as well as David Headley, both trained at Markaz Taiba. Muridke Markaz, the headquarters of L-e-T has evolved into a terror nursery, grooming children, and youths for attacks in India. Established in 1988 by Hafiz Saeed, the complex serves as a training ground, indoctrination centre and logistical base. It had links to Osama bin Laden and has been implicated in major terror attacks, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack. Operation Sindoor: A coordinated & precise response Operation Sindoor, in a joint offensive by the Army, Navy, and Air Force was carried out between 1:05 am and 1:30 am. The operation marked a tactical shift in India's counter-terror response moving beyond retaliatory strikes in PoK to deep-targeting key terror infrastructure well inside Pakistani territory. Post-strike visuals show widespread structural collapse, with several buildings flattened by the precision-guided munitions used during the operation. This was not a random air raid, rather the targets were based on credible intelligence input to avoid damage to civilian infrastructure and loss of civilian lives. With Operation Sindoor, India has crossed an important political and military barrier demonstrating that it has the capability to strike targets almost anywhere in Pakistan without physically crossing the Line of Control or the international border. This is a marked change from the 2016 surgical strikes after the Uri attack, where Indian forces crossed LoC but stayed within 1 km to destroy terror launchpads on the Pakistan side. In 2019, Indian fighter jets went further into Pakistan territory to hit J-e-M targets in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This time, however, Indian forces did not physically cross LoC and used standoff weapons operated from within Indian territory. What Pakistan was aiming at The state of Jammu & Kashmir, over the last couple of years has been witnessing an encouraging economic boom with tourists from all over India and abroad visiting the place in numbers never seen before. Tourist operators, local shopkeepers, shikara and boat owners, hotel and restaurant owners, bus and pony providers were more than happy at this economic resurgence, something that had been irking the Pakistani mischief-makers. It must be realised that the shocking attack at Pahalgam was driven by a much larger evil objectives that meets the eye. The attack was perhaps also aimed at diverting the attention of the Pakistani people from their own miserable and poverty-stricken existence. Government's response to Jingoistic media Over the last many days, the media had been voicing their thoughts and suggestions offering best options for India to teach Pakistan a lesson they will not forget following certain overzealous analysts. However, those responsible for India's security did not get carried away by media-provoked jingoism. Realising that the armed forces, once employed, will carry out their operations when fully ready and select their targets with care at a time and place of their own choosing the PM provided them full operational freedom which culminated into the success of Operation Sindoor which avenged the terrorist act perpetrated by the Pakistan harboured terrorists. Epilogue The continuing retaliatory attacks by Pakistan on Indian positions in spite of cease fire reportedly reached between India & Pakistan to stop firing & military action is indicative of the fact that, neither Pakistan has learnt or intends to learn a lesson from the success of Operation Sindoor. In its counter attack in response to the Pahalgam attack India had consciously targeted the terrorist camps in Pakistan taking care not to escalate the situation lest it should culminate into a full-fledged war. India has thus decisively demonstrated its diplomatic & military prowess & sincerity in dealing with the states harbouring terrorists through Operation Sindoor. It is noteworthy that India's external affairs minister S. Jaishankar has reiterated India's uncompromising and resolute stance against terrorism in all its firms. It is unlikely that after Operation Sindoor Pakistan would dare repeat the mistake at least for the time being. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Defeating Pakistan's nefarious design to isolate Kashmiris from the mainstream through the Pahalgam terror attack
Dr. Prashant Prabhakar Deshpande has post-graduated in Economics with a Gold Medal in 1976 and was awarded a Ph.D in Social Sciences from Nagpur University in 2007. Introduction Way back in 1995, 6 western tourists and their two guides were presumed to have been killed by a terrorist group, Al Faraan, in the meadows, an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants of Pahalgam. They were kidnapped in the Lidderwat area of Pahalgam in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on 4th of July 1995 by 40 terrorists from the Kashmiri Islamist militant organisation Harkat-ul-Ansar under the pseudonym of Al-Faran to secure the release of Harkat leader Masood Azhar and other terrorists. Those killings aimed at: 1. Putting the Kashmir issue on the global map; 2. Destroying tourism, and; 3. Unleashing an atmosphere of unrest. Although the terrorists succeeded in 2 of the 3 over the years, the armed forces in the valley however ensured that Pakistan's efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue did not succeed. Recent Pahalgam attack 30 years later, with Pahalgam and Gulmarg having grown as hubs for tourism, the terrorists struck on April 22, 2025, killing 26 tourists, mostly Hindus. The place and targets were the same, Pahalgam and the tourists. This time, the terrorists aimed to: 1. Put Kashmir back on the boil, 2. Hurt the revival of the state's economy, and; 3. Strike deep fear. However, this time instead of foreign tourists, they targeted Hindu tourists. This was deliberately done to unleash divisive forces that would spin out of control in a fragile society and eventually whip up a narrative against the united fabric of India. Tacit motive behind the attack A higher voting turnout in the recently held elections indicated that Kashmiris, tired of insurgency now want to be a part of the mainstream. Pakistan which has been sponsoring terrorist activity in India thus felt that the ground beneath their feet was slipping away. Pakistan Chief of the Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir's anti-Hindu speech referring to Kashmir as a jugular vein of Pakistan was seen as a sign of his desperation in whipping up a frenzy, rattling India, and the world. Many believe this to have triggered the launch of the Pahalgam strike by the Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked TRF (The Resistance Front). Kashmir before the recent dastardly act In Kashmir, tourism is the biggest industry contributing to its economic growth. The tourism industry is focussed on the Srinagar-Gulmarg axis towards the west of Srinagar and towards the southeast along the Anantnag-Pahalgam axis leading further to Chandanwari and onwards to the Amarnath Cave. In this sector, tourism in Pahalgam and its adjoining areas coupled with the annual Amarnath Yatra are major contributors to the local economy. Two years ago, Srinagar, Gulmarg and Gurez were buzzing with visitors with the locals expecting tourism to grow. The Dal Lake wore a busy look with eager locals peddling wares and markets looking forward to hosting tourists. The air of confidence was a far cry from the despondency two decades ago, when militancy was a dominant presence in the lives of locals. Despite challenges, the security forces with the help of locals had created a sense of normalcy. In the last 5-7 years, militancy had been wiped out with overall terror incidents decreasing from 228 in 2018 to 46 in 2023 giving a boost to the tourism industry. 2025 being an overbooked season, the economy in Kashmir thus looked brighter than ever with tourism helping in assimilating the Kashmiri economy into the larger Indian mainstream. Besides tourism, apple trade in Sopore had seen a rise with a thousand active traders making it the 2nd largest fruit market after Delhi's Azadpur. A promising economy was returning youth to the mainstream, as earning opportunities rose quickly. A terror strike of this nature however threatens to set back a fledgling economy like Kashmir which is new and not yet developed. This was demonstrated by the fact that within 48 hours of the strike, Kashmir had been vacated. Impact on the local ecosystem Pakistan wants Crackdowns on the local backers of the insurgents subsequent to the attack are bound to include elaborate combing and search operations followed by the security forces stepping up the vigil in the area, leading to restrictions on citizens and collateral arrests and detentions. Clamping down on regular lives in Kashmir owing to indispensable security curbs is a natural outcome of this attack that can wreck the state's return towards normalcy which Pakistan wishes to see. Pakistan believes that in the event of reduced economic opportunities and restricted conditions of living, the youth, which had been a part of the emerging economic restructuring in the valley, can be lured back into militancy. Specific Pakistani design By disowning their part in the attack, the Pakistani army intends to convey that the attack was an outcome of internal dissent in Kashmir. They expect this to fuel the fumes of communal hatred. It intended to convey that Hindus were not welcome in Kashmir, a proposition which however seems to have been rejected by local Kashmiris. The Pakistani ploy thus seems to have backfired with unprecedented protests by locals witnessed in Pahalgam, unlike earlier times. Epilogue Through the attack Pakistan desired to whip up a feeling of utter disgust amongst the Hindus towards the valley's Muslims. Pahalgam was meant to exploit the vulnerable social fabric in India and cause a communal divide. Pakistan by this wanted Indians to generate hatred towards each other and cause social disengagement leading to isolation of the Kashmiris. To thwart the nefarious design of Pakistan, there is a need to provide a healing touch to the Kashmiri youth. Kashmir has lost two earlier generations to militancy. The healing touch of economic opportunities and social embrace therefore must continue alongside pinning down militant sympathisers, as the absorption of a generation into the mainstream reduces the probability of the subsequent generation picking up arms again, as a youth used to financial independence is less willing to turn to militancy. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
