Pahalgam to Rawalpindi via DC: Tale of a conflict

India has created a new template, China has revealed its hand, and America has displayed its power

- Prashant Jha

India has shown that it will not accept terror attacks emanating from Pakistani soil and displayed serious political intent and military capacity to counter it. Pakistan has shown that it is not a pushover although the asymmetry in power was evident, and that it possesses military and diplomatic capabilities to stand its ground. China has shown that it will leave no stone unturned to use Pakistan to weaken India. And, America has shown that despite being a distracted power with the intent to do less in the rest of the world, it remains the decisive player in the international system to shape the course of war and peace.

That is the big picture that emerges out of the post-Pahalgam churn. But first here is a quick summary of how India and Pakistan got here based on the limited information in the public domain.

Pakistani-backed terrorists killed civilians based on their religion in Pahalgam. India decided that wasn't acceptable and prepared for a fortnight before mounting unprecedented strikes in both Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab against nine terror camps and bases. With Chinese equipment and support, Pakistan was possibly able to inflict some damage on Indian air capabilities, a fact that India hasn't yet publicly acknowledged. Pakistan then began an offensive against key Indian military bases across the western border, which India countered effectively and then responded by neutralizing Lahore's air defense system.