In the wake of terrorist assaults, India’s political leadership has had a restricted attitude toward Pakistan for years.
The answer mostly consisted of TV debates, political statements, and temporary anger, whether it was the 2001 Parliament strike, the 2008 Mumbai carnage, or the 2000 car bombing attack on the Jammu & Kashmir congressional Assembly complex.
Action was often taken. By defending evil organizations and intimidating India with nuclear coercion, Pakistan then used this complacency to deter retaliation. But, after Narendra Modi became prime secretary in 2014, this model of “long-standing corporate gravity” underwent a significant change.
From apathy to tactical thinking
Modi made an effort to restore relationships with Pakistan during the first half of his first term following his election in 2014 with goodwill gestures and concrete actions.
He made an extraordinary engagement from New Delhi to facilitate relaxing and productive relationship by inviting then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in service and then making an unexpected trip to Lahore in 2015 to enter a marriage reception at Sharif’s residence.
However, soon after these overtures, betrayal was discovered, as evidenced by the Pulwama massacre in 2019 and the Pathankot airbase attack in 2016, followed by the Uri attack in 2016, and finally the Uri attack in 2016. Modi reevaluate India’s Pakistan strategy after realizing that peace negotiations cannot coexist with terrorism. He switched from restraint to kinetic action, sending the clear message that continuing to harbor terrorism against India would have serious consequences.
This tactical rebalancing was evident during the Uri incident in September 2016, when India launched surgical strikes across the Line of Control ( LoC ) against terrorist launch pads, a previously unthinkable move at the time.
However, a clear shift emerged following the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019, which claimed the lives of 40 Indian security personnel. In response, the Indian Air Force ( IAF ) launched airstrikes into Pakistani territory in Balakot, aiming specifically at Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps there.
Indian fighters entered Pakistani airspace for the first time since the war of 1971 and launched an offensive strike. This action challenged both New Delhi’s own self-imposed strategic caution and Pakistan’s long-standing nuclear deterrence narrative.
It sent the clear message that India would no longer be hindered by worries about a nuclear escalation when implementing measures to combat transnational terrorism. This daring action reshaped the dynamics of this relationship as well as avenging the Pulwama attack.
Operation Sindoor: a brand-new routine
In response to the devastating Pahalgam terrorist attack, which left 26 civilians dead, Operation Sindoor was born out of this assertiveness in May 2025.
Using a sophisticated blend of Russian, French, Israeli, and indigenous Indian weapons, the operation used to attack nine terrorist targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir ( POJK).
Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles, Su-30MKIs equipped with BrahMos, Israeli SkyStriker drones, and the country’s indigenous SAMAR air defense system were all precisely deployed based on target profiles, demonstrating India’s multidimensional attack capability.
All of the targeted lists were coordinated and precisely hit, demonstrating India’s increased military readiness, technological prowess, and deep intelligence penetration in Pakistan. The HQ-9 and LY-80, among Pakistani-Chinese air defense systems, were unable to stop the strikes, exposing serious weaknesses in Pakistan’s defensive infrastructure.
The operation was performed with surgical precision, avoiding casualties for the public while delivering a powerful and unmistakable strategic message. Modi unambiguously stated that “talks and terror cannot go together” in his address to the nation on May 12, 2025. He warned that any upcoming terrorist attack would be regarded as an “act of war,” which would put Pakistan’s actions under strict scrutiny.
Modi made it abundantly clear that Operation Sindoor is not the end all of India’s Pakistan strategy, but rather the start of a “new normal” where measured, robust, and proactive military actions will be the norm. His declaration marked a significant shift in India’s strategic doctrine, indicating a decisive shift away from reactive postures and toward a persistent policy of deterrence and national assertiveness.
Additionally, New Delhi suspended the historic bilateral agreement known as the Indus Waters Treaty, a bold move to put more military pressure on Pakistan, indicating a strategic change in its approach.
The Indus River system treaty, signed in 1960 under the supervision of the World Bank, was intended to distribute the waters there. It has long been regarded as a rare instance of cooperation between the two countries, even in times of turbulence and conflict.
By stating that” Water and blood cannot flow together,” Modi underlined India’s commitment to separating terrorism from its wider political and economic repercussions. This demonstrates New Delhi’s changing attitude toward using non-military means of pressure against Pakistan.
Beyond the nuclear bluff
The most notable change under Modi has been India’s unwavering opposition to Pakistan’s nuclear blackmail. In the past, Pakistan has deterred Indian responses by threatening nuclear retaliation, which has resulted in strategic restraint from New Delhi.
However, Modi’s government has steadfastly resisted being intimidated, stating unwaveringly that India’s security posture would not be dictated by fear of an uprising. The Modi era has taken decisive steps in places where earlier attacks had rhetoric and inertia. Operationen like Balakot and Sindoor have shown how poorly armed military maneuvers can be carried out even in a nuclearized setting, altering the deterrent balance.
In doing so, India has directly challenged Pakistan’s portrayal of South Asia as a permanent nuclear hotspot in an effort to elicit international attention for Kashmir. New Delhi has instead demonstrated how regional stability and strategic firmness can work together, reducing Pakistan’s influence on international relations.
A clear emphasis on unity in the face of fear further strengthened this position. The Modi government strategically fought terrorist plots to incite division among communities during Operation Sindoor by highlighting India’s pluralistic culture.
The official press briefings were led by two Indian women officers, Colonel Sophia Qureshi, a Muslim officer from the Corps of Signals, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a Hindu, who symbolized India’s rejection of the communal narratives that terrorists frequently attempt to exploit.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri claimed that the Pahalgam attack, which claimed civilians were killed for their Hindu religious beliefs, was a major project designed to destabilize India as a whole and stir up unrest in Jammu and Kashmir as well.
By bringing these two officers of different faiths to the media to give briefings, Modi’s administration sent the clear message that such efforts to splinter India will fail. The government’s coordinated response highlighted India’s unwavering resolve to combat terrorism while upholding national cohesion, both in terms of military action and leadership decisions.
Too much terrorism
Further, Modi’s recent remarks reflect a larger regional concern, noting that “terrorism is not only a serious threat to India but also dangerous for Pakistan itself.”
Extremist groups have increasingly turned their heads as a result of Pakistan’s use of strategic weapons, with organizations like the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan ( TTP ) now directly threatening its internal security by attacking both civilians and security personnel. Despite this devastation, Pakistan continues to present itself as a victim on the global stage despite failing to end the terror networks that exist within its borders.
Pakistan must start genuinely de-radicalization efforts in order to maintain peace and strengthen bilateral relations. This includes overhauling the country’s educational system, changing its religious discourse, and empowering democratic institutions to combat extremist influence. Through initiatives like Vision 2030, nations like Saudi Arabia provide a model for juggling tradition and modernization.
Pakistan runs the risk of developing more instability, which will undermine both its internal sovereignty and the prospects for regional harmony, if there isn’t any real reform. Therefore, Pakistan alone is in the fray; it is also crucial for South Asia’s future stability as a whole.
Modi fundamentally altered how India views Pakistan. India has redefined its strategic doctrine, which stipulates that peace is dependent on accountability and deterrence is actively enforced, by rejecting appeasement, confronting nuclear intimidation, and using a calibrated mix of military, diplomatic, and economic tools.
Bold actions like the airstrike in Balakot, the Indus Waters Treaty’s suspension, and Operation Sindoor all contribute to a more holistic review of India’s strategy toward Pakistan, which is grounded in assertiveness, resilience, and strategic clarity.
Under Modi’s leadership, it has been demonstrated that diplomacy needs to be strong in India in order to stop terrorism from being the price of peace. Pakistan must abandon using terrorism as a state policy in order to achieve lasting peace and stability in South Asia. It must instead pursue meaningful and progressive reforms based on forward-thinking principles.
Only then can the conflict-free zone become truly peaceful and stable.
Idress Aftab works as a research analyst at New Delhi’s Centre for Foreign Policy Research.