India Appears to Construct Its Rationale for Attacking Pakistan

Following the dreadful terrorist attack in Kashmir last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in telephone communication with more than a dozen world leaders. Diplomats from 100 missions in India’s capital have gathered at the foreign ministry for briefings, according to officials. However, this effort is primarily not focused on uniting support to de-escalate India’s precarious standoff with Pakistan, which India accuses of having ties to the attack. Instead, New Delhi appears to be constructing a case for military action against its neighbor and long-time adversary, Pakistan. Mr. Modi, in a speech on Thursday, vowed severe punishment and the eradication of terror safe havens, without directly naming Pakistan. Five days after the terrorist attack, which left 26 civilians dead, India has yet to identify any group responsible for the massacre and has provided minimal evidence to support its claim of Pakistan’s involvement. The Pakistani government denies any involvement. In briefings to diplomats at the foreign ministry, Indian officials have described Pakistan’s history of supporting terrorist groups targeting India. These presentations have failed to convince, suggesting either an insufficient gathering of information before striking Pakistan or a belief that no justification is needed for planned actions due to present global chaos. A military confrontation risks escalation and raises concern about the lack of evidence supporting India’s potential actions.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/27/world/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir.html