Time for enhanced counterterrorism cooperation between India-EU

The terror attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir and India's decision to wage a war against terror make it essential for India to, among various strategies, expand and deepen its diplomatic counterterrorism engagements with the European Union as well.

- CHINTAMANI MAHAPATRA

The world has deeply sympathized with the terror victims who had gone to Pahalgam in Kashmir as tourists and were brutally shot dead by terrorists. The cowardice and the sick mindset of the terrorists are reflected in their decision so far to hide their identity and keep secrets of their main goals.

Those who consider it to be the handiwork of The Resistance Kashmir (TRK), an unknown outfit, should know that the suspected backers of such mindless acts of violence against unarmed tourists have ironically sympathized with the dead and shed crocodile tears just across the Indian border.

Besides the impact of such terror attacks on the victims and their family members, another consequence of this event will be the rapid downfall of the tourism industry in Kashmir, which in turn will affect the livelihood of numerous Kashmiri people.

It is nonetheless clear that the Pahalgam attackers were not lone wolves and had the full support of Pakistan. It is not a conspiracy theory to suggest that the Pakistani establishment, which has not been able to maintain law and order in Balochistan and Pakhtunkhwa; that has failed in its economic and social welfare policies; and has been largely ineffectual in its foreign engagements, orchestrated the dastardly act in Pahalgam.

While the world has promptly reacted to this incident by condemning it and sympathizing with the victims, the response of the European Union is a welcome development from the Indian perspective. While expressing her "deepest condolences" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that "Europe will stand with you." EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that "the EU stands firm against terrorism".