News Analysis: India’s firm Pahalgam response marks sharp shift from 2008 Mumbai attacks
India’s firm military response to 26 killings in Pahalgam stands in sharp contrast to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people, but did not invite kinetic action against the neighbour.
Parliamentary and archival records of the time reveal that the then Congress-led UPA coalition government rejected the military option in the aftermath of the attack and chose to take the diplomatic route to shame Pakistan. It, however, suspended the then proposed to be revived comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan.
The then UPA government had also extended the courtesy of offering an official aircraft to drop the then visiting Pakistan foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, back home to Pakistan after news flashed that terrorists from across the border had unleashed mayhem in Mumbai. Qureshi was on an official visit to India on November 26, 2008, the day the Mumbai attacks began.
He had held discussions with then External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and along with the latter was slated to address an event in Chandigarh’s CRRID (Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development) on November 27.
In his memoirs, “The Coalition Years: 1996-2012”, late Pranab Mukherjee writes, “(After the Mumbai attacks), the question of continuing with foreign minister Qureshi’s visit arose. The Pakistan High Commission informed us that their foreign minister was in the midst of a press conference with a group of women journalists. I interrupted the press conference through a journalist I knew personally and asked her to inform him that I wanted to speak with him.”
Mukherjee goes on to mention in the book that he urged Qureshi to leave as soon as possible and offered his own official aircraft to take him back home. “I was told Pakistan Air Force aircraft would take him back. On his return to Pakistan, the minister told the media that he was extended all courtesies and diplomatic privileges in India,” says Mukherjee’s memoir, adding that as foreign minister he personally rejected the military option against Pakistan.
“Naturally, the reaction in Indian Parliament was sharp. Amid heated debates within the Cabinet, there was a demand for military intervention, which I rejected. I made an observation which was quoted frequently later. I said I do not believe there is any scope of romanticism in external relations. Similarly, I do not indulge in any sort of adventurism in guiding the foreign policy of the country. Dialogue is the only course available for resolution of all problems and unfortunately this process has been disrupted by this totally condemnable act of Pakistani terrorist. The proposed comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan is suspended till a conducive atmosphere is created,” Mukherjee had said in his book.
Mukherjee said he spoke to foreign ministers of over 100 countries across different time zones to shame Pakistan and build public opinion against it.
UPA’s diplomatic response led to a UN sanctions committee listing individual entities based in Pakistan, including leaders of LeT under Security Council Resolution 1267. The JuD was also listed as an alias of LeT.
Post Pahalgam attack, Indian response was both diplomatic and kinetic with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing from Bihar on April 24: “Today, from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world that India will identify, track and punish every terrorist, and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished.”
The government followed up on PM’s announcements by retaliating to the attack first through diplomatic means (suspension of Indus Waters Treaty, revocation of visas of Pakistani nationals in India and more) and today through military action.
At the UN, India declared that Pakistan is a rogue state fuelling global terrorism and the world could no longer turn a blind eye to its actions. Today India justified Operation Sindoor saying: “We exercised our right to respond.”
India