Following the recent and catastrophic terrorist attack in Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now extended full “operational freedom” to the country’s military and security forces, indicating a fierce and uncompromising position on cross-border terrorism.
A senior government source told AFP that Narendra Modi made this decision during a closed door meeting at his office with the country’s top army and intelligence officials. A source quoted him as saying it’s India’s “national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism,” which exposes his hardline governance tendency when it comes to basic national security.
The incident, which has once again brought both sides to the battlefield, killed several people adding to an already explosive dispute between India and Pakistan, two neighboring countries that havve locked horns in a multi-faceted cold conflict ever since gaining nuclear capabilities, more so over Kashmir. Pakistan is blamed by New Delhi for doing terror sponsorship of the militant group involved in this pesky attack which Pakistan vehemently denies.
Modi has now granted autonomy to the forces which indicates an in-principle agreement to not relying only on diplomacy or international furtherance appeals and taking them militarily if required. This seems to support the trend emerging later after every major attack like the 2016 Uri attack and in 2019 Pulwama bombing which led to cross border operations.
India’s decision has attracted both domestic support and international concern, with many monitoring how the situation progresses between the two volatile neighbors.
