VANTAGE POINT: The new generation voter, whose support in a substantial measure brought Narendra Modi to the office, is unwilling to accept a thousand cuts of Pak-sponsored terrorism as the cost of peace.

After Wing Commander Abhinandan walked back safely from Wagah to Attari, its time to evaluate the entire week’s events in perspective. The politicisation can be discounted on both sides but it is important to look at the real gains that India has made from this new assertion of its Super Power status in the New World order. The Military Superiority of India has been displayed and the world has taken note. Also, India has demonstrated its Diplomatic prowess by getting, US to take a tough position with Pakistan, China to measure its words and both UAE and Saudi Arabia to play ball with India. And this could be the beginning of a new World Order.

The counter-terrorism airstrikes by the Indian Air Force within Pakistan is a realisation of a new strategic worldview from New Delhi. This was the first time since 1971 that India used its air prowess against targets across the international border. Even in the dire times of the Kargil War in 1999, Prime Minister Vajpayee refused to authorise the use of the air force across the line of control. The significance of the past week's events can therefore hardly be overstated.

The new generation voter whose support in a substantial measure brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi to office is unwilling to accept a thousand cuts of Pakistan sponsored terrorism as the cost of peace. The surgical strikes in the aftermath of the Uri attacks cemented the mandate of public opinion. India’s political leadership had to ensure that the costs of the proxy war must be felt in Pakistan as well. It was clear as day that dossier diplomacy was an insult.

The reluctance of previous administrations in acting against Pakistan stems broadly from two sources: the fear of nuclear war and international isolation. Strategically speaking, nuclear deterrence in the recent past appeared only to deter one side that is India. The military has long suggested tactical options short of a war on the escalation ladder to impose costs of terrorism. Today, the political leadership has finally trusted the sagacity of the military advice. This sets a new normal in India’s strategic posturing for all successive administrations to come. The victims of terrorism could no longer be a statistic to foster the elusive Aman ki Asha.

India’s position in the world stage has changed since it faced ostracisation in the aftermath of the Pokhran nuclear tests. This first became evident with the Indo-US Nuclear deal that established unprecedented cooperation between the US and India on civilian nuclear technology. This was notably despite our objection to the discriminatory NPT and CTBT regimes. Prime Minister Modi since taking office has made a renewed effort in establishing India’s image in the world as a self-confident and responsible world power.

It became clear that India’s hesitance to act against Pakistan based terrorism to maintain a ‘good boy’ image in world politics was seen as a sign of weakness. Having given up on tactical options, India was relegated on using other countries to end the terrorist safe havens in Pakistan. This put at naught India’s efforts to be de-hyphenated from Pakistan in the eyes of the world.

No country saw India’s recent counter-terrorism strike as an act of aggression while the world called for peace. In fact, the vast majority of the world saw the action as justified and legitimate. These reactions tell another story of Pakistan’s unshakeable image as a terror-sponsoring state in the eyes of the world. Even Pakistan’s natural political constituency in world politics, the Organisation of Islamic States invited Minster of External of Affairs Sushma Swaraj to address its plenary. Despite, the background of tense Indo-Pak conflict and Pakistan’s stiff opposition. It was this narrative of recent history that called for the end of hesitance and heralding of self-confidence in India’s engagement with the world.

Pakistan’s attempt at retaliation against the Indian counter-terrorism strikes tells the same story. The Indian Air Force thwarted the attempt in an unprecedented engagement in the skies. A well-trained air warrior used the old MiG-21 Bison to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 Falcon in an unparalleled dogfight. While the Indian air warrior was first taken into custody in Pakistan, he was released. Once again, India used its diplomatic might through allies such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to secure his release. 

A presidential-style contest against Rahul Gandhi was always going to be the Prime Minister’s preferred terms of engagement in the forthcoming elections. The BJP aimed to position itself as a stable alternative to the Mahagathbandhan. The events of the recent weeks will reemphasise that the choice in the hustings this year is between a stable government for a New India or a warring confederation of selfish political interests.