The Pahalgam Terror Attack and the Indian Response

India's recent precision strikes on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir carry a big message — that India will not stop at anything to send a message to terrorists and their backers in Pakistan. What started it all was the April 22 terror attack on Pahalgam in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. That attack killed 26 tourists, thereby opening up old wounds in India.

It recalled the times of the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001, the Mumbai terror attack of 2008, the Pathankot Air Force base attack in 2016, the Pulwama attack in 2019, and many others. As in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack of 2019, India has now chosen to strike deep inside Pakistan. By doing so, it has sent a message not only to Pakistan but to the wider world.

Responding with Diplomatic Measures

Following the April 22 terror attack, India first put the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance. It is the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 that governs the sharing of river waters between the two countries. As Pakistan is short on water, especially during the dry months, this could be very crucial.

New Delhi also suspended the movement of people and goods through the Attari-Wagah Border checkpost. Those Pakistani nationals who were already in India with valid documents were allowed to return by May 1, 2025.

In addition, New Delhi suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals. (SAARC stands for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.) Any SVES visas issued in the past have been deemed canceled.

At the same time, India expelled all Pakistani military, naval, and air advisors based at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi by declaring them persona non grata. India has also withdrawn its military advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. In addition, the strength of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan has also been pared down.

The Military Response

In the early hours of May 7, Indian aircraft fired missiles from inside Indian territory. Those missiles hit 9 terror hideouts inside Pakistan as part of "Operation Sindoor."

That attack appeared to take Pakistan completely by surprise. In the second round of attacks, India targeted missile defense sites in some of the major Pakistani cities. Those were in retaliation for the attacks on civilians in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, across what is known as the Line of Control. Later, in the early hours of May 10, India also hit a series of other military targets in Pakistan in retaliation for the attacks by Pakistan on civilian targets.

What Could Be the Outcome?

Such airstrikes and missile strikes undoubtedly rattled Pakistan and its backers. At the same time, New Delhi reached out to its different countries, especially members of the United Nations Security Council. Many of them have already expressed an understanding of the Indian position.

*Villagers survey damage caused by an attack in Kashmir on May 10. (©AP via Kyodo News)*

The world now has to decide which side it is on. Terrorism is a universal problem that can impact every country. It is worth mentioning here that the Americans killed Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan. Many Western countries have themselves been at the receiving end of terrorist attacks on their citizens.

Japan and Terrorism

It is worth mentioning here that Japanese nationals were killed in terrorism incidents in Syria and also in Bangladesh. Hence, Japan, too, needs to be careful, especially as terrorists do not spare people based on nationality.

As events unfolded, Indian Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar also spoke to Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Japan has expressed an understanding of the Indian position. In a written statement, the Japanese foreign minister noted: "Regarding the terrorist attack that occurred in Kashmir on April 22, Japan once again strongly condemns such terrorist acts. In this regard, Japan is deeply concerned that the recent series of events could lead to further reprisals and escalate into a full-scale military conflict."

The International Dimension

Meanwhile, in the global sphere, Turkey and Azerbaijan have come out in support of Pakistan. There are some lessons to be learned here. India had mounted a massive rescue operation in the aftermath of the earthquake in Turkey in February 2023. However, Ankara seems to have forgotten that now.

*US President Donald Trump (©AP via Kyodo)*

The Chinese factor cannot be ignored, either. China has been a steadfast backer of Pakistan in all forums. Beijing has been pushing an anti-India narrative on all fronts, including getting close to another of India's neighbors, Bangladesh. Mention should be made here of the Chinese "String of Pearls" strategy. That reflects China's aim of encircling India from all sides with Chinese-run ports in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

The Road Ahead

Ultimately, the trajectory of this conflict will depend on the kind of stand taken by the members of the United Nations Security Council. India has made it clear that it will retaliate against any further attacks from Pakistan.

The fact that the Indian strikes took place late into the night shows that India wanted to avoid civilian casualties.

What is good to know is that India has shown that even though both India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed nations, a conventional war below the nuclear threshold is still a viable proposition. Hence, propping up terror outfits as a kind of low-cost warfare will not work anymore for Pakistan.

In very positive news, a ceasefire went into effect from 1700 hours local time on May 10, 2025. India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted that the Director General of Military Operations for Pakistan called his Indian counterpart, and the two sides worked out a ceasefire. US President Donald Trump also announced this on his social media platform, Truth Social. He said the decision was reached after a "long night" of talks mediated by the United States, although India has disagreed with President Trump on that point.

The cessation of hostilities, for now, is indeed a welcome augury for the region and the world.

Author: Dr Rupakjyoti Borah

Dr Rupakjyoti Borah is a Senior Research Fellow with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies. The views expressed here are personal.