Retribution Pehalgam : But With Due Diligence

Today, 7th of May 2025, the nation awakes to a pleasant SURPRISE. A SURPRISE, which was long awaited --  by a fortnight now. The SURPRISE was pleasantly wrapped, because, while the nation was being prepared for an impending mock sirens and mock drills to be undertaken pan-India later today, the terrorist infrastructure in the belligerent neighbourhood was being given the bitter taste of same in actuals. Nine terrorist training and indoctrination centres, located at a distance of between 100 to about 10 kms deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir were hit with due accurate precision by Indian defence forces minimising collateral damage. These included Headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) in Muridke outside Lahore and of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Bahawalpur, both located in the Punjab heartland of Pakistan.

Today, 7th of May, from 1.05 AM to 1.30 AM, India finally commenced exercising its Right to deliver Retributive Justice. It had been compelled to do so because the perpetrator, Pakistan is neither accepting what it had perpetrated at Pahalgam, nor is it committing to prevent future similar misdemeanour. So, a determined dissuasion was needed to be delivered to thwart any pre-emptive motives of Pakistan. But, in doing so, India upheld its stated position of being an accountable player in world comity of nations, demonstrating considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution, by striking only the terror infrastructure. ‘The Indian actions were focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. So, while retaining the capability to do so, yet India ensured that no Pakistani military facilities or civilian areas had been targeted’, says the press release of Ministry of Defence. Govt of India.

The fact that India showcased strategic restrain by purposefully and deliberately not targeting innocent civilians and active Pakistani military infrastructure has been well acknowledged by the international community. The world is aware of the military capability and competence of India and it is also aware of India’s high sense of international responsibility. The US congressman said that ‘India has the right to protect its people and its territory’. Israel has backed ‘India's right to self-defence'. Reuven Azar, Israeli Ambassador to India, said on X that ‘Israel supports India's right for self-defence and Terrorists should know there's no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent’. Most of the other nations, as well as the UN, have requested India and Pakistan to exercise restraint in further escalating the situation.

It is pertinent to state here that, should Pakistan take it as our weakness and resort to any misplaced misadventure, then the threshold of Indian restrain may be breached, a fact which was clearly articulated by our IAF Lady officer during her press briefing today. The Indian Defence Forces are committed to be ever ready to respond to any Pakistani cross border military misadventure.

The world, especially our unrestrained neighbour, should not miss the fact that our two Lady defence officers conducted the media briefing on OP SINDOOR today. This is a clear message to the evil-eyes across the border àYou target our families; our DURGA and KALI SHAKTI are ready to retaliate and retribute in the language you understand. Don’t underestimate the power of INDIAN WOMEN. 

Nonetheless, in the euphoria of today’s action, we mustn’t lower our guard. The pan-India Civil Defence Mock Drills, especially against enemy air and missile strikes, must be conducted with renewed fervour and utmost sincerity and degree of plausibility. It is a National Preparatory Effort, cutting across mundane regional, communal or linguistic partisan approach. Because, the way we have hit on their terror infrastructure, (referred to as their so-called strategic national assets), we too must protect and preserve our own well-meaning strategic national assets.

The de-novo analysis of our vulnerabilities, especially those at relative proximity to Pakistani border and within the striking capability of Pakistani ordnance, should be carried out with absolute due diligence. In this context, the protection of Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramula Rail Link (USBRL) all across its entire length gains utmost important now. The demonstrative synergy between the efforts of common citizens, local administration as well as the entire security spectrum must be such so as not only to deter and thwart any evil designs but also be robust enough to absorb the effects of enemy strikes. It becomes important that the citizens of the country unite in this national effort of preparation. Each person understands his or her role. So, let us re-dedicate ourself and constructively contribute to this national effort of preparation against perceived unjust-retaliation by our adversary.

Is OP SINDOOR the end, or, is it the ‘Beginning of The End’? Is it the beginning of an evolving permanent solution to the long surviving Pakistani ghost of Islamic terrorism? The answer lies in posterity. As the tweet of our ex-COAS Gen Manoj Naravne on X states, ‘picture abhi baki hai’.

We await more SURPRISES. But we also prepare for any Pakistani retaliation.

Note :- "This article was first published by Hindi National Daily AMAR UJALA (Hindi translation) and now republished by MVI in its original English version with permission of the author."