KASHMIR ISSUE AND TERRORISM HAVE CLEARLY BEEN DIFFERENTIATED—THIS IS MODI’S MAJOR DIPLOMATIC WIN, SAYS Dr JAGDEESH CHANDRA

Reflecting on the recent clash between India and Pakistan, Dr Jagdeesh Chandra opines that ‘Operation Sindoor’ not only symbolised valour, but also touched a deep emotional chord across the nation. He highlighted strategic significance of separating Kashmir from terrorism, with unprecedented civilian protests in Kashmir against terrorism. Dr Chandra sharply criticized Pak’s Army Chief, Gen Asim Munir, accusing him of masterminding recent hostilities and pointing to Pakistan’s admission of its role in the 2019 Pulwama attack as a declaration of war. He deemed this a diplomatic win for India, also asserting that Pak military’s participation in terrorist funerals proves their alliance with extremists. On Balochistan, he dismissed claims of Indian involvement. Excerpts... (Part-II)

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi named the military operation against terrorism ‘Operation Sindoor,’ which many say touched a deep emotional chord, especially among Indian women. Do you feel the same?
  Dr Jagdeesh Chandra: Absolutely. What you’ve said is completely accurate. Today, the face of the nation’s collective grief is Captain Vinay’s mourning wife. She has, in many ways, become the symbol of this tragedy. You may have seen the India Today cover photo—she’s sitting there with her husband’s body in her lap. That image has shaken the conscience of the entire country. Across all television channels, you saw that woman—a victim of terrorism—holding her martyred husband. That single moment resonated with women across the nation. It moved people deeply. But beyond the emotion, it also sent a powerful message about the strength of our armed forces. The army took the sindoor—the symbol of marital honour and sacrifice—and turned it into a metaphor for bravery. Those who tried to erase that ‘sindoor’ were themselves annihilated. The ones who dared to destroy it were decimated. So yes, this extremely tragic incident sent a deeply moving message. And there’s something else to note. I believe the Prime Minister may have instructed all Chief Ministers and Party Chiefs to ensure that wherever the bodies of these victims arrived, they were received with full honor. And that’s exactly what happened—ministers were present, local bureaucrats were present, and the entire process was conducted with dignity. Though the incident was deeply tragic, the way the human aspect was handled post-tragedy by the Narendra Modi government deserves appreciation. There was an emotional, dignified response at every level.

• Before launching strikes on Pakistan’s terror camps, PM Modi reportedly secured the support of major global powers. How do you view this consensus diplomacy approach?
  Narendra Modi has been reshaping Indian foreign policy over the last several years. And what we saw this time was what I would call Policy Diplomacy of Consensus. Long before the actual conflict, he had already brought all major global powers into confidence. There was a shared understanding building up behind the scenes. In fact, seven of the world’s most influential countries publicly stated that India has the right to self-defence. That statement was crucial—it meant India could fire the first shot in self-defence, and the international community would support it. So, when the military action took place, notice who didn’t stand with Pakistan: not even Turkey or China, who often offer symbolic support. There was a quiet, but clear, global endorsement of India’s move. That only happened because Modi’s team worked diplomatically in advance—building transparency, informing allies, and creating trust. It was a highly strategic move. When you prepare the diplomatic ground before taking action, you ensure that your country isn’t isolated. And that is what yielded results for India this time.

• This time, we saw a clear distinction between Kashmir and terrorism. The two have often been conflated in the past. How significant is this development?
  This is one of the most important diplomatic breakthroughs under the Modi administration. For decades, whenever India raised the issue of terrorism, it would get entangled in the broader Kashmir issue. The world would say, “Yes, but Kashmir is complicated,” and the terror narrative would get diluted. This time, that didn’t happen. There was a clear, strategic effort to separate the issue of Kashmir from terrorism. This separation is critical. Why? Because people around the world might debate Kashmir, but nobody supports terrorism—especially Islamic terrorism. This time, all focus was smartly shifted to terrorism itself. It wasn’t about Kashmir anymore—it was about the unacceptable nature of the terror act. That’s a massive diplomatic achievement. It ensured that the global narrative stayed where it should: on condemning terror. It’s a smart move by the Modi government, and it changes the international conversation.

• For the first time in 35 years, we saw Kashmiri civilians come out against terrorism. Shops were shut, protests happened, and even religious institutions participated. How do you see this?
  It’s a historic and dramatic turning point—without a doubt. It’s a deeply encouraging development not just for Kashmir, but for the entire nation. And also a huge validation for the efforts of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who have worked tirelessly to bring stability to the region. This time, the entire Kashmiri community, including religious leaders and civilians, united against terrorism. At Hazratbal, one of the holiest shrines, the Friday prayers were preceded by a two-minute silence in honour of the victims. That’s unprecedented. Political leaders like Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah spoke in one voice, clearly condemning terrorism. On April 28, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly held a special session and passed a resolution against terrorism, offering condolences to the victims’ families. But most importantly, ordinary people came out. Boys and girls marched with banners reading ‘Stop Innocent Killings’ and ‘Terror Will Never Win – United in Grief.’ Shops closed, candlelight vigils were held, and everyone—from artisans and small business owners to shikara operators—joined in. The message was loud and clear: ‘Stop this bloodshed in our name. We are not with you.’ This kind of spontaneous, mass protest against terrorism has never happened in Kashmir in the past 35 years. This is a strategic failure of Pakistan’s foreign policy and a huge strategic win for India. Earlier, there was a section in Kashmir that quietly sympathised with Pakistan. After this incident, that sympathy has nearly evaporated. You could say 90% of it is gone. This is a new phase in Kashmir’s political evolution, and the leadership deserves credit.

• What role do you think Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir played in this entire sequence of events?
  General Munir is, in my view, a ‘Jihadi General’. He has emerged as the principal conspirator and villain in this entire episode. He represents a toxic blend of ideology— something between Jinnah and Zia-ul-Haq. Some analysts believe he’s deliberately stoking external tensions to distract from internal challenges and to solidify his grip on power. He’s projecting an external threat narrative to unite internal factions under his command. If the ISI and Pakistan Army continue down the path he’s charting— confronting India—they need to be very cautious. ‘Operation Sindoor’ was just a trailer. Prime Minister Modi has shown what he is capable of. If pushed further, the response will be proportionately greater. Pakistan would do well to take that seriously.

• A shocking development: Pakistan’s army has now admitted its involvement in the 2019 Pulwama attack. What do you make of this?
  This is both daring and outrageous. Let’s be clear—this isn’t Pakistan speaking, it’s the Pakistan Army under Munir. At the time of the Pulwama attack, Munir was the ISI Chief. He is widely believed to have overseen the operation wherein, 40 CRPF personnel were killed. India has long told the global community that Pakistan was responsible. Now, Pakistan has essentially confirmed it. This is a massive development. There’s no longer any need for investigation or verification. They have admitted it themselves. And that changes the game completely. It amounts to a declaration of war. If India responds more forcefully in the future—say, by entering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir—this admission will serve as powerful international evidence, showing India’s actions as a direct response to Pakistan’s misadventures. This disclosure, intentional or not, has massive implications: it strengthens India’s diplomatic case and exposes Pakistan’s strategy to the world.

• Pakistani military officers were reportedly seen at the funeral of terrorists killed in Indian Army strikes. What does this indicate?
  The indication is very clear. In Pakistan, the Army and terrorist outfits are one and the same. Terrorists essentially function under the command and patronage of the Pakistani military. There’s complete clarity on this now. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised this issue on international forums. He has directly referred to such visuals—officers of the Pakistan Army standing at terrorists’ funerals—and posed the question: what do such photographs reveal? There have been two particularly revealing developments that have worked strongly in India’s diplomatic favour. One, the presence of Pakistani military personnel at the funerals of slain terrorists. And two, the Pakistani Army’s own admission that it was involved in the Pulwama attack and that the operation was its creation. These two incidents—especially together—are not just surprising but shocking. Now matters of record, they will bolster India’s case in global forums and continue to benefit it diplomatically.

• In Pakistan, there’s a common narrative that India is involved in the Balochistan conflict. Do you believe India or its agencies have a role there?
  Personally, I don’t believe that India has a direct role in the ongoing conflict in Balochistan. Now, of course, every nation has intelligence agencies, and agencies like RAW or ISI do engage in strategic intelligence operations across borders. That’s a known aspect of international affairs. However, based on the available evidence, it appears that this current unrest in Balochistan is largely internal. It’s Pakistan’s own military that’s being targeted repeatedly by insurgents there. For example, a whole train was reportedly hijacked, and more than 50 Pakistani soldiers were killed during those operations. These are not minor incidents. Given the scale and intensity of these attacks, it appears more like a grassroots rebellion than a foreign-orchestrated effort. From the outside, there’s nothing clearly indicating any significant or direct involvement by Indian agencies.

• How has the media, both in India and abroad, responded to the ceasefire and Prime Minister Modi’s national address?
  The media’s response, both domestic and international, has been largely positive. Within India, there has been almost unanimous support for the government’s position. Even those who are usually critical of the government have displayed a sense of patriotism this time. In fact, not a single Indian newspaper raised serious objections. Virtually every outlet has stood firmly with the government.Even critics now seem convinced that the government has acted responsibly and in the national interest. The English media has done commendable work, while Hindi media has supported national sentiment through its coverage. Overall, the Indian media reflects a strong sense of national pride and unity. International coverage was initially subdued, but what did appear largely highlighted Pakistan’s complicity or inaction on terrorism—credit to the PMO’s media strategy. I personally witnessed public sentiment at a Mumbai function, where a corporate director asked, “Did you hear Prime Minister Modi’s speech?” When I said yes, he replied, “Has any Prime Minister ever spoken so well?” His admiration reflected how deeply Modi’s words had resonated. Opinion surveys like India Today show PM Modi’s approval at 60–65%, but I believe that underestimates reality. A truly neutral evaluation would place it at 75–80%, as many admirers today are apolitical citizens moved by his message and leadership.

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