India launches a global outreach to tell the world that Operation Sindoor is not just a counterterrorism campaign. It is a symbol of India’s resolve, and a message to the world that terrorism—no matter where it emerges from—will be met with resistance that is moral, military, and diplomatic
Our Bureau
New Delhi/Dubai/Tokyo/Moscow/Paris
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, India is reaching out across the globe with a unified message: the age of silence is over. Through Operation Sindoor and a series of diplomatic missions, including an all-party delegation visit to the UAE, India is not only defending its citizens at home but also asserting its stance on terrorism before the world. This is the face of a “New India”—resolute, cohesive, and unafraid to speak in one voice on one of the gravest threats to its sovereignty.
On a diplomatic stage increasingly shaped by complex security challenges, India is making a concerted effort to tell the world its story—unfiltered and unequivocal. In the aftermath of the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of several pilgrims and security personnel, New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, a robust military and counterterrorism campaign aimed at neutralizing militant networks operating in the region.
But India’s response hasn’t remained confined to battlefield tactics. The government has paired its military action with an assertive diplomatic campaign. An all-party delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde recently engaged with the Indian diaspora in the UAE, underlining that India’s stance against terrorism transcends political lines.
“Operation Sindoor highlighted India’s response towards terrorism,” said BJD MP Sambit Patra during the event. “We will ensure more than 100 terrorists die for what you’re doing. This is the new India.”
This message was part of a broader strategy to internationalize India’s fight against terrorism—not in the form of appeals for intervention, but as a call for understanding and solidarity.
“This is the new India where we will not allow political differences… we’re speaking one language, one voice, one thought, and one idea—India,” Patra added, signifying a rare unity in India’s political establishment when it comes to national security.
In parallel with Operation Sindoor and the all-party outreach in the UAE, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has been actively engaging with European counterparts to highlight India’s evolving stance on terrorism and regional stability.
On a recent diplomatic tour that included visits to Germany, France, and Poland, Jaishankar placed terrorism and cross-border extremism at the top of his agenda. In Berlin, during a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, he emphasized that India will no longer tolerate passive global responses to terror threats it faces. “The world must be equally outraged when terror hits Srinagar as it is when it hits Paris or Brussels. There can be no double standards,” Jaishankar said, reinforcing India’s long-standing complaint about selective global empathy in the war on terror.
In Paris, he met with strategic analysts and security officials, briefing them on the tactical and moral framework of Operation Sindoor and India’s evidence against Pakistan-backed militant outfits. French officials expressed solidarity and reiterated France’s support for India’s efforts in counterterrorism cooperation, especially under the framework of the India-France Strategic Partnership.
Jaishankar also addressed a forum at the European Union headquarters in Brussels, where he underscored the importance of global consensus on isolating states that sponsor terrorism. “States which enable terror infrastructure under the guise of plausible deniability must be called out—no matter their geopolitical position,” he told EU lawmakers, in what was interpreted as a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan and its backers.
The Pahalgam terror attack, which occurred on April 22, was one of the deadliest in recent years. While investigations are ongoing, preliminary intelligence has pointed to cross-border terrorist groups with links to Pakistan as the orchestrators of the attack. This wasn’t an isolated incident but part of a pattern of proxy war tactics employed by elements across the border to destabilize peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
The choice of Pahalgam—a route of religious pilgrimage and symbolic unity—was deliberate. It aimed to sow fear and discord. However, the national response, spearheaded by Operation Sindoor, turned the tragedy into a moment of unified defiance.
Operation Sindoor, launched in the immediate aftermath of the Pahalgam massacre, was not just a military retaliation—it was a declaration of zero tolerance towards terrorism. Spearheaded by the Indian Army and coordinated with intelligence agencies, the operation has reportedly led to the elimination of multiple terror operatives, many of whom were top commanders in Pakistan-backed outfits.
The name Sindoor, which traditionally symbolizes protection and commitment in Indian culture, was aptly chosen to denote a protective response to the attack on Indian lives and values. Unlike previous operations, this one was complemented by a coordinated diplomatic campaign, showcasing how military and foreign policy are now interwoven in India’s counterterrorism doctrine.
India has long maintained that terror groups operating from Pakistan remain the single biggest threat to regional stability. Organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen have been held responsible for numerous terror attacks, not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in metropolitan centers like Mumbai, Pathankot, and Pulwama.
Despite global pressure, these groups continue to find ideological and logistical sanctuaries within Pakistan. While Pakistan officially denies any involvement, multiple dossiers submitted by India to the UN and allied nations offer compelling evidence of safe havens and training camps across the Line of Control.
A key aspect of India’s diplomatic push post-Operation Sindoor is to renew international awareness about these proxy actors and the necessity of dismantling their networks.
India’s voice is getting louder at international forums. With the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and United Nations Security Council already issuing warnings to Islamabad in previous years, India’s current campaign aims to convert geopolitical sympathy into tangible diplomatic pressure.
What distinguishes India’s diplomatic offensive this time is the consensus among political parties, traditionally fractured by domestic rivalries. The delegation to the UAE wasn’t just a symbolic gesture—it represented a paradigm shift in India’s internal political approach to external threats.
Historically, Indian foreign policy has often been the purview of whichever party was in power. But in the face of increasing security threats, the country’s political landscape is showing signs of maturity.
“This is the New India,” said Sasmit Patra again during the UAE interaction. “A New India where we stand together and speak as one on matters of national interest.”
Such cohesion is vital in presenting a credible and consistent narrative to international allies. Whether it’s rallying diaspora communities, influencing foreign parliaments, or engaging with multilateral bodies, India is increasingly putting forth a united national identity—especially on security.
India’s diplomacy is no longer reactive or risk-averse. It is strategic, multi-platform, and people-focused. From engaging diaspora communities to launching high-level delegations, India is mobilizing its soft power alongside hardline action.
Operation Sindoor and its aftermath show that India is redefining the rules of engagement—both militarily and diplomatically. It is making it clear to the world that its fight against terrorism is not just about national survival, but also about defending democratic values and the rule of law.
By promoting the narrative of a unified political front, by highlighting the cost of inaction, and by underlining the human tragedy of terrorism, India is reframing the global conversation on what it means to be a victim of terrorism—and what it takes to resist it.
The events following the Pahalgam attack—and India’s resolute response—signal a new normal. One where military action is matched by diplomatic assertion, where national unity trumps political division, and where India’s voice is both louder and clearer on the world stage.
Operation Sindoor is not just a counterterrorism campaign. It is a symbol of India’s resolve, and a message to the world that terrorism—no matter where it emerges from—will be met with resistance that is moral, military, and diplomatic.
In this new chapter, India is no longer seeking global understanding out of weakness, but out of strength. It is telling its story—on its terms.
