Retaliatory action raises serious questions in world diplomacy

---

Operation Sindoor was not a move of aggression against the country of Pakistan, but a selective action against terrorism.

---

Viewpoint

by Ishanee Chaliha

---

---

India started Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, as a retaliatory action against the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, that massacred 26 civilians. The attack was a massive blow to the Indian nation and the world in general.

Operation Sindoor was initiated as a retaliation with precision and hit nine targeted terrorist camps- four within Pakistan and five within Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was tactically commanded and guided by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, and its successful accomplishment was greeted with overwhelming national admiration.

International responses to the operation were highly polarized. Israel expressed unambiguous support to India, labeling the operation as a rightful act of self-defence. Its Indian ambassador stated that “terrorists must know there is no hiding from their atrocious act against the innocents.”

On the contrary, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Germany called for restraint and the resumption of diplomatic talks. U.S. President Donald Trump even went to the extent of condemning the operation as a “shame,” whereas the foreign secretary of the U.K. warned that "if this escalates further, nobody wins." Likewise, a Taliban statement from Afghanistan called for restraint and diplomatic talks on both sides.

These reactions have, however, raised some serious questions regarding the double standards of international diplomacy. Historical experiences indicate that terrorist attacks against Western countries frequently trigger massive military interventions under the pretext of an international war against terror.

However, when identical events take place in non-Western nations, particularly those in the Global South, response measures are most often termed as unwarranted or shameful. In addition, nations like China, which were accused of giving military aid to Pakistan, are now emerging as impartial intermediaries, contributing to the intricacies and perceived paradoxes of the international reaction.

Operation Sindoor was not a move of aggression against the country of Pakistan, but a selective action against terrorism. By limiting itself to targeting militant infrastructure and avoiding civilian casualties, the operation helps underline India's long-standing role as a country that never seeks war, yet has the will and ability to finish it once provoked. The international community's disparate responses to the operation lead one to pose the following critical question: Are such reactions based on genuine diplomatic concern or part of a larger trend of geopolitical hypocrisy?

Ishanee Chaliha a student studying political science at Christ University in Bangalore. In her free time she enjoys learning new languages and is currently working toward proficiency in Korean and German. She believes the key to a good life starts within yourself which is to find your individuality and cultivate on it and later contribute to the society through it.

---