Why Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy didn’t yield expected results. An extract.

Rajiv Dogra

When a country faces aggressive neighbours on its borders, and grey-zone war in its territory, it confronts a major security dilemma. If it gives more weight to building its offensive forces, then it risks insecurity within. On the other hand, if it is preoccupied with countering terrorism, its forces will over time lack the aggressive punch. Misjudging this balance can lead to catastrophe.

For instance, what are India’s options against terror? It is possible to ignore one or even a few attacks but when a country has been subjected to multiple terror attacks over forty years, it has to do something radical to stamp it out.

Over the years, India has tried all options in the anti-terror rule book. For a long time, it chose not to react with force, keeping itself content with sending protest notes and providing dossiers of evidence to Pakistan. These were read carefully by the ISI so they could avoid making the mistakes of the previous terror strikes.

Sometimes, India opted for limited strikes against terror camps in POK or in the Pakistan territory close to the border. These caused hurt, but the limited damage did not deter the terrorists or their masters.

Operation Sindoor in May 2025 was a bold new punishment that was intended initially to strike terrorists deep within Pakistan. But it escalated quickly, with both sides using missiles and drones over a four-day undeclared war. The jury is still out on whether terror has been defeated once for all. Perhaps, this is not the case. But Modi deserves credit for taking this bold step.

Since absorbing terror punches is no longer possible, what then are the other alternatives available to India?

Responding to terror with terror is one option, but it may not be possible all the time, and it may not be morally acceptable to India to target the civilian population. There is one other option. It has drawbacks of its own but it can be the weapon of the last resort short of a full-scale war. India will need to steel itself to use its most potent missiles against terror concentrations and even against military camps that shield terrorists. The alternative is to sit back and wait for Pakistan’s extreme provocation. This would leave the terror state free to carry on with its strikes, drawing blood every time.