Retribution without War

Contrary to speculations, India is unlikely to launch a full-scale war on Pakistan. It may rather adopt a calibrated, cost-effective strategy to punish terrorists and their backers

- PRABHU DAYAL

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, a narrative is being promoted that India is getting ready to launch a full-scale military attack on Pakistan. However, analysts who are suggesting that PM Modi has given the green light for an attack on Pakistan as a means of inflicting punishment on it seem to have mistaken his intelligence and his mastery over the art of finding cost-effective solutions to the most complex political problems.

No one should forget how Prime Minister Modi had famously advised Russian President Vladimir Putin: "This is not an era of war, but one of dialogue and diplomacy and we all must do what we can to stop the bloodshed and human suffering". Just as in the case of Russia and Ukraine, PM Modi is fully aware that a solution to the problems between India and Pakistan also cannot be found on the battlefield.

Following the Pahalgam attack, PM Modi had said on April 22 that "Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared!" Two days later on April 24, addressing his first public rally in Madhubani after the deadly Pahalgam attack, PM Modi said "Today, from the soil of Bihar, I say this to the whole world, India will identify, trace and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth." These statements are not tantamount to an intent to attack Pakistan and wage war against it. They only spell out the intention to 'punish every terrorist and their backers. Those who think that waging war is the only way it can be done are mistaken. In fact, such a thesis only supports the narrative of Pakistani politicians who are trying to distract attention from the terror attack in Pahalgam.