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Context:

The global consensus against terrorism is weakening, with India facing selective responses to state-sponsored attacks.

The Pahalgam Terror Attack

On April 22, 2025, terrorists attacked tourists in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 people, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, and injuring 17 others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility.  

Foreign Secretary called the attack the "original escalation" by Pakistan, emphasizing that India’s response, including Operation Sindoor, was "precise, measured, and non-escalatory," targeting only terror infrastructure, not civilian or military sites.

Fragmentation in the Global Fight Against Terror

The global consensus on fighting terrorism, strong after 9/11, has weakened. Countries now prioritize their own security concerns over collective action.  

Europe focuses on right-wing extremism and terror, as seen in its counterterrorism policies targeting domestic threats.

The U.S. under the Biden administration emphasized racially and ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE), but the current Trump administration (as of May 2025) urges de-escalation between India and Pakistan to avoid a wider conflict, placing equal responsibility on both.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) often frames terrorism discussions around Islamophobia, avoiding condemnation of attacks like Pahalgam.

Canada has dismissed India’s concerns about anti-India terrorist activities on its soil as "freedom of expression," delaying action until an attack occurs.

China has repeatedly blocked UNSC sanctions against Pakistan-based terrorists, such as those proposed by India in 2022, and continues to shield Pakistan diplomatically.

This selective approach leaves India, which faces state-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan, to defend for themselves. 

Double Standards Against India

The world applies a different standard when addressing its fight against terrorism. Key reasons include:

• Nuclear War Fears => Pakistan has convinced global powers that any India-Pakistan conflict risks nuclear escalation, prompting calls for "regional stability" over punishing terrorism. The West, which supports Ukraine against nuclear-armed Russia, hesitates to back India fully due to fears of a nuclear clash between two developing nations.
• Pakistan’s UNSC Presence => As a non-permanent UNSC member for 2025-26, Pakistan has a platform to push its narrative, such as labeling the Pahalgam attack a "false flag" operation to deflect blame. However, the UNSC has rejected this theory and questioned Pakistan’s links to LeT.
• Hinduphobia Ignored => While global leaders quickly condemn Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, or Christianophobia, they remain silent on the Pahalgam attack.

India’s Response: Operation Sindoor and Diplomatic Measures

Operation Sindoor => On May 7, 2025, the Indian Armed Forces launched precision airstrikes targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Named "Operation Sindoor" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the strikes killed over 100 terrorists, including members of LeT and JeM, without hitting civilian or military targets.

Indus Waters Treaty Suspension => India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, reducing water flow in the Chenab River, which Pakistan called an "act of war." This move severely impacted Pakistan’s agriculture, with water levels at Marala headworks dropping from 35,000 to 3,100 cusecs.

Diplomatic Offensive => India briefed 13 of 15 UNSC members (excluding Pakistan and China) on Operation Sindoor, emphasizing its measured approach. The External Affairs Minister warned that any further Pakistani attacks would face a "very firm response."

Way Forward for India

Act Alone if Necessary => If international partners fail to hold Pakistan accountable, India should continue unilateral actions like Operation Sindoor and economic measures like suspending the Indus Waters Treaty.

Leverage Gulf Partners =>India should deepen ties with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are reforming their own societies and may pressure Pakistan to curb terrorism.

Strategic Autonomy => India’s multi-alignment policy, balancing ties with the U.S., Russia, and Gulf nations, gives it geopolitical space to act independently while maintaining global partnerships.

 Source: 

THE  HINDU