5 hours ago
As India was recalibrating its security doctrine, U.S. President Donald Trump decided to weigh in — in his signature fashion. Trump claimed he had mediated the India-Pakistan ceasefire. Then, in the same breath, issued a trade ultimatum: stop fighting, or risk losing trade ties with the United States.
UPDATED: May 13, 2025 21:40 IST
India has drawn a bold new red line — a line that sends an unmistakable message, not only to Pakistan but to the entire world.
In his most forceful statement to date, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it unequivocally clear: India will no longer tolerate terrorism — not on its soil, not across the border, and certainly not in silence.
The shift comes in the wake of the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, where 26 Hindu tourists were brutally killed. While the nation mourned, India also moved — with resolve, with purpose, and with a warning. Terror will now be met with fire.
Operation Sindoor: Precision and Power
In a national address on May 12 which was watched by millions, Prime Minister Modi praised the valour of the Indian armed forces. He emphasised that their courage represents more than military might — it is a tribute to every Indian mother, sister and daughter who seeks safety and justice.
Modi praised Operation Sindoor — a cross-border counter-terror operation that eliminated over 100 terrorists in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It wasn’t random. It was precise. It was devastatingly effective. And, above all, it was a message.
This, Modi said, is India’s new normal.
A doctrine grounded in three uncompromising principles:
Decisive retaliationZero tolerance for nuclear blackmailNo distinction between terror sponsors and terroristsIndia, the Prime Minister asserted, is not just defending its borders — it is rewriting the rules of engagement.
The Diplomatic Line in the Sand
In what can only be described as a diplomatic mic-drop, India has clarified its future dialogue with Pakistan: Talks will now be limited to two topics — terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Because, as Modi stated plainly:
“Talk and terror can’t go together.”
“Trade and terror can’t work together.”
“And water and blood cannot flow together.”
India is willing to talk peace — but not peace at gunpoint, not peace laced with pain. India seeks peace on its own terms.
Trump’s ‘Mediation’ and a Tone-Deaf Threat
As India was recalibrating its security doctrine, U.S. President Donald Trump decided to weigh in — in his signature fashion.
Trump claimed he had mediated the India-Pakistan ceasefire. Then, in the same breath, issued a trade ultimatum: stop fighting, or risk losing trade ties with the United States.
India — the world’s fifth-largest economy, a nation that just dismantled terror camps across the border — is not going to roll over because of a trade threat.
Worse still, Trump referred to the Kashmir dispute as a “thousand-year-old problem” — a statement so historically inaccurate, it verges on embarrassing.
Fact Check: A History Lesson for the West
The President of the oldest democracy in the world should know that Pakistan didn’t exist a hundred years ago. It was created in 1947, carved out of British India. Jammu and Kashmir legally acceded to India that same year. It was Pakistan that launched an armed invasion, using tribal raiders and its own officers.
India responded — with military restraint — and sought international mediation at the United Nations. Not to debate an “ancient feud”, but to demand that Pakistan stop using terrorism to seize territory.
Fast forward to 2025: 26 innocent Indian tourists are killed by Pakistan-backed militants. India retaliates. And Trump calls it a Kashmir issue?
No, Mr Trump. It’s a terrorism issue.
The West’s Dangerous Narrative
Trump’s remarks reflect a wider problem — a dangerous narrative that persists in Western capitals. A belief that India’s fight against terrorism is just a localised Kashmir conflict. That every attack should be followed by de-escalation. That terror is somehow contextually justified.
But the moment you frame it that way, you give terrorists moral cover. You legitimise their violence. You rob the victims of justice.
India owes no one an explanation for its counter-terrorism actions.
Because India didn’t just retaliate. It dismantled terror camps tied to global jihadist networks — the very kind responsible for attacks like 9/11 and the London 7/7 bombings.
India’s Stand: Clear and Unapologetic
Let’s be blunt: when India strikes back, it’s not just protecting its own — it’s protecting the world. And if the West truly values global security, it should be thanking India, not lecturing it.
As for Trump? Perhaps it’s time he focused on ending mass shootings and fixing America’s own broken immigration system or maybe it's healthcare issue before issuing foreign policy advice.
And if he’s serious about solving century-old conflicts — he might want to try delivering on his campaign promise of ending the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours.
No, Mr Trump — Kashmir Is Not “Disputed”
Kashmir is not a centuries-old issue. It is not a disputed land. What is disputed — and must be dismantled — is the infrastructure of terrorism.
India will strike when attacked. India will speak on its own terms. India will protect its sovereignty — with or without Western approval.
Because for India, this is not about geopolitics.
It is about survival.
Published By:
Rudrashis kanjilal
Published On:
May 13, 2025
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