Focus External

The manner in which India is trying to “educate” the world on terrorism is akin to a teacher schooling kindergarten kids who have never heard the word terror. A comment on Meta said: “Shashi Tharoor on Secret mission – Call to PM Narendra Modi from Ajit Doval (NSA) in connection with SCO summit. Modi immediately called Shashi Tharoor for a closed-door meeting that lasted for more than one hour. Tharoor immediately rushes to Moscow with a message. What exactly is brewing at the geopolitical level is intriguing”.

Next was news Tharoor met Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party chairman Leonis Slutsky in Moscow about Russia hosting conference on combating terrorism in 2026 for parliamentary heads of Turkey, Iran, Russia, India, Pakistan, and China. Tharoor, speaking in French, slammed Pakistan for providing safe haven to terrorist organizations, who train, fund, arm them, and send them to other nations (https://www.wionews.com/world/-they-they-train-terrorists-shashi-tharoor-slams-pakistan-in-meeting-with-russian-officials-stuns-all-with-fluent-french-watch-viral-video-1750905218781). Talking in French reinforces frivolous optics – now hallmark of Indian politics. Don’t these countries know Pakistan’s terror-machine? Tharoor’s trip only signals this congressman, once jeered for calling economy travellers in airlines “cattle-class”, is Modi’s special envoy. Was Tharoor detailed because External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar failed such missions or is Tharoor to replace Jaishankar as foreign minister? One view is that the bombing of terrorist targets in Pakistan was done precisely, but the follow up PR campaign was to convince a world with whom we have burnt our bridges, not being interested in world opinion with a blowtorch of bravado.   

Do we expect Tehran siding with us when we are without guts to condemn attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities? Did Modi urging   Iran’s president to de-escalate, miss the chance to call President Donald Trump and broker US-Iran peace; with Trump continuing to claim affecting India-Pakistan ceasefire (https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10161979169329775&id=674879774&rdid=yFidZVodjGkjor6R#). When Modi visited Iran in May 2018, Iran’s Ayatollah welcomed him saying. Hindustan se aya hai mera dost (my friend has come from India). Do we expect Iran to not see through the soft-pedalling we are subjecting it to? According to a former diplomat, India is undoing decades of diplomatic efforts and alienating  Iran, while Pakistan is displaying strategic autonomy by repositioning itself (https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2025/Jun/24/india-advocates-multi-polarity-others-practise-it). Despite Trump hosting a lunch for Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, Pakistan condemns Israeli attacks on Iran saying they violate international law and threaten regional stability. Was Modi ill-advised to personally fete Henry Kissinger; the ass who called Indians “bastards” and backed Pakistan in 1971 to the hilt. This is pusillanimity, not diplomacy.

Trump could have easily met Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit, but he chose to invite Modi to the White House while hosting Munir. Modi was right in declining that invite. India denies Trump brokered India-Pakistan ceasefire and Pakistan’s DGMO requesting the same.

But why did we accede to this request so easily? Was the government scared of calling Pakistan’s nuclear bluff after three days of hostilities? Sketches of mastermind and executioners of Pahalgam massacre having been issued before launch of Op ‘Sindoor’, why didn’t we tell Pakistan to hand over these terrorists before we consider their ceasefire request?

Why didn’t we demand  Pakistan first handover Jaish-e-Muhammad (Jem) chief Masood Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed; why the meaningless act of JP Singh, Indian Ambassador to Isreal voicing this in Tel Aviv?  (https://www.newsonair.gov.in/if-us-can-extradite-rana-why-cant-pakistan-hand-over-masood-azhar-hafiz-saeed-indias-ambassador-to-israel/#:~:text=12%3A09%20PM-,India's%20Ambassador%20to%20Israel%20says%20it's%20high%20time%20Pakistan%20hands,Mohammed%20(JeM)%20to%20India.)

How come we didn’t even have the balls to ask Pakistan to first release Kulbhushan Jadhav rotting in their custody since 2016 despite the ICJ ruling? Indian media coverage on Op Sindoor described Karachi and Omara being pounded by missiles ex our aircraft carrier, but now it is revealed the Navy never got the orders to fire (https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/exclusive-navy-was-assigned-target-packages-during-op-sindoor-almost-hit-pak-8764395); who chickened out and why? Does all this indicate India did buckle to Trump’s threat of tariffs?

Pakistan has rejected Indian media reports claiming it sought ceasefire, insisting it responded decisively to Indian actions and agreed to halt hostilities only after intervention by the US and Saudi Arabia (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pakistan-denies-ceasefire-plea-credits-us-and-saudi-role/articleshow/121998442.cms). But it is hilarious to see a post on X demanding India should de-nuclearize Pakistan.

These utopians should realize India is not Israel, what will be America’s reaction with its nukes based in Pakistan, why did we press the “pause” button so soon (under whose pressure?) without first making demands as above, and why was the Indian Army Chief instructed not to open fire on the PLA in 2020?

A French version of Op ‘Sindoor’ naturally soft-pedals Rafale losses, but its essence boils down to – India Won the War but Lost the Narrative.

In the same connection, the extremely perceptive article titled ‘Winning the War, Losing the Narrative: Strategic Messaging in Op Sindoor must be read (https://frontierindia.com/winning-the-war-losing-the-narrative-strategic-messaging-in-op-sindoor/). The book ‘Operation Sindoor Force multipliers and dividers: What worked and what did not’ (https://www.amazon.in/Operation-Sindoor-Force-multipliers-dividers-ebook/dp/B0FBDFQQG1) also makes very interesting reading. Why did we lose the narrative despite being a bigger country and having the initiative?

Pakistan claims downing three Rafales among other aircrafts (https://www.facebook.com/reel/723948913357375). Losing a couple of aircrafts is no big deal (with China monitoring IAF movement) compared to the AD and PAF infrastructure destroyed, but why has India chosen to remain mum on aircraft losses? And, if losses are not important, why not acknowledge them and get done with it?

Soon after Modi met his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney during the G-7 summit, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) released a report highlighting that “transnational repression is central to India’s actions in Canada”. The report, which was published by Reuters came hours after Modi and Carney met in Alberta and pledged to improve bilateral ties. The CSIS report states that Indian government officials, along with local proxies, have carried out various efforts aimed at influencing Canadian political figures and communities                       (https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/hours-after-big-diplomatic-breakthrough-canadian-intelligence-report-labels-india-as-perpetrator-of-foreign-interfere-13142610.html/amp). India’s mainstream media only says separatists are using Canadian soil to target India. The truth is that for European countries, the main focus for seeking ties with India is getting an FTA deal and access to our markets - period.

India abstained from the UNSC resolution for the Gaza ceasefire while the rest of South Asia didn't. France, UK and Germany voted for the resolution. Shouldn’t India have participated and instead of voting, given its view about the two-state solution it keeps pandying about. India and Israel have enjoyed multifaceted best of relations over the past several decades - not just with the present Israeli government. Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert wrote in an Israeli publication that Israel’s war in Gaza is personal war of PM Netanyahu amounting to war-crimes (https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-05-27/ty-article-opinion/.premium/enough-is-enough-israel-is-committing-war-crimes/00000197-0dd6-df85-a197-0ff64a5c0000). Trump wants corruption trial of Netanyahu but Yar Lapid has warned against meddling in Israel’s court system while Israel’s Court has rejected Netanyahu’s request to delay the trial. 

India also distanced itself from the SCO Statement condemning Israeli strikes on Iran; Indian foreign ministry saying India did not participate in the discussions. A strategist-scholar commented on this post: “Considering that India wishes to become a permanent member of the UNSC, this statement by the MEA is unacceptable”. Another comment reads: “India never takes any stand with anyone. So, no one stands with India”. Government’s claim of being neutral in the Ukraine and Israel-Iran wars is under lens; Indian artillery ammunition supplied to Ukraine by default or design, and boasts about supplying Barak-8 AD systems to Israel. Why this duplicity – why not have the courage to say we back Israel come what may and we have no option but to abide by the US. Opinions attribute the latter to: Jaishankar’s last tenure in the US; US State Department still not giving clean chit to Modi for Gujarat riots, and; the coming tariffs tsunami. Like most leaders across the world, Modi has his idiosyncrasies; penchant for photo-shoots, frequent dress-change like a movie star, and using everything foreign while preaching everyone to buy Indian. But this should not lead to a duplicitous foreign policy that fools none; making it a laughing stock.

It was covered in these columns earlier that the one thing India must learn from Japan is ‘humility’. But equally important is to learn that Chinese ministers don’t brag like their Indian counterparts. Chinese officials work methodically on every possible front. Compare this with Indian minister Piyush Goyal terming trade deals with ASEAN countries “silly’.

This, after he and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reduced tariffs drastically, especially on EVs, after Trump called Indian tariffs excessive in January 2025. Of course, Goyal wants to shun ASEAN because he must meet Trump’s USD 500 billion trade target or lose his job. But if these ministers think the coming Indo-US trade deal will be generous to India, they need to think twice. Witness Trump forced NATO countries to hike their defence budgets to 5% and is still threatening tariffs. Interestingly, without a federally supported market and strategic reserve stockpile, the US will remain reliant on China, exposing how vulnerable the global economy and America’s defence is (https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/rare-earth-startups-say-without-subsidies-and-support-us-cant-shake-chinas-control-5877830?utm_source=rtnewsnoe&src_src=rtnewsnoe&utm_campaign=rtbreaking-2025-06-25-1&src_cmp=rtbreaking-2025-06-25-1&utm_medium=email&utm_content=access0&est=HXZuKImbNU82iCSDB5kGcQibjKLFHUlGKKdhX3owe1INhbdDUR0tL85X9cwK6aCBHmcq%2FA%3D%3D).  According to the Editor of Eurasia Times, Hindi will flourish pan-India on its own if Modi and his ministers keep their mouths shut (https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10232724507749534&id=1067007676&rdid=PBDT2Opv1EhU3wAq#).

India’s media reports Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to skip the next BRICS summit because the Brazilian president has invited Modi to dinner. Can anything be more stupid; is this to cover up for India’s U-turn in BRICS for dumping the dollar and India losing out in both BRICS and SCO? If Xi is not going, it probably is due to the continuing purge of the defence and security establishment in China. But has India ever appraised Xi and Trump? Recall Modi’s unprecedented act of canvassing for Trump on American soil – Abki Baar Trump Sarkar. But now concurrent to Trump hosting Asim Munir in the White House, Khalilur Rahman, NSA of Bangladesh was hosted in Washington.

It is time we get down to mother earth, look ourselves in the mirror and recognize the difference between strategic autonomy and strategic pusillanimity. If we can’t look bullies in the eye, they will simply mount on our head.

The author is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed are personal.