Why India's Strategy for Identifying Legitimate Targets Worked

At a time when Wahhabi-inspired terror networks have been dismantled globally—including in their heartlands such as Saudi Arabia—three well-known terrorist hubs continued to operate openly within Pakistan: Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot.

- ATIR KHAN

These sites, long identified as centers of extremist activity, became legitimate targets for India in the aftermath of the devastating Pahalgam attack.

India's response was swift, precise, and underpinned by a coherent strategic doctrine. This doctrine, articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is based on three key tenets: swift and decisive retaliation to any terror attack on Indian soil, an end to nuclear blackmail, and indiscriminate targeting of terrorists and their supporters, even across the border.

Speaking to the nation, the Prime Minister reiterated that while "this is not an era of war," it also "cannot be an era of terrorism." His statement, "blood and water cannot flow together," encapsulates the shift in India's approach to cross-border threats.

India's decision to strike Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot was not only tactically astute but also resonated with the international community. Countries grappling with terrorism found India's actions relatable and justified. In many ways, this mirrored actions taken by Iran against Pakistani-based terror threats, Saudi Arabia's strikes on the Houthis, and the U.S. operation that eliminated Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil.