India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, has come out strongly in favour of the government’s attacks on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir dubbed “Operation Sindoor.”
Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha – the lower house of parliament, wrote on X, “Proud of our Armed Forces. Jai Hind!”
Gandhi used a popular Hindi expression that can be translated as “Hail India!” or “Long live India!”
Mallikarjun Kharge, the opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha–the upper house of parliament, said that his party was “extremely proud” of India’s armed forces. Kharge said on X, “We applaud their resolute resolve and courage.”
“Since the day of the Pahalgam Terror Attack, the Indian National Congress has categorically stood with the Armed Forces and the Government to take any decisive action against cross border terror.
“National Unity and solidarity is the need of the hour and the Indian National Congress stands with our Armed Forces. Our leaders have shown the path in past, and National Interest is supreme for us.”
Mallikarjun Kharge
According to political analysts, there has been growing domestic pressure on the Modi government to attack Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack.
Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, stated, “There was a high level of pressure on Modi to respond with muscle.”
“It would have been unfathomable for India’s government not to respond militarily, given Modi’s self-projection as an administrator who is strong, confident, decisive, determined to hit back hard against terrorism.”
Michael Kugelman
Rasheed Kidwai, a political analyst in New Delhi, said that the Pahalgam attack had “emotionally” driven a desire in the Indian public for retribution against the attackers and those seen as their enablers.
He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with his image as someone who delivers on national security, was catering to those sentiments. “India is retaliating in a precise manner,” Kidwai said.
Also, Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, opined that in many ways, the May 7 Indian missile attacks were in keeping with the script New Delhi had outlined since the April 22 killings in Pahalgam.
Like Kugelman and Kidwai, Donthi referred to the image that the Modi government has created for itself domestically.
“This moment aligns with India’s self-projection as a strong security state with zero tolerance for terrorism, primarily directed against Pakistan, and Modi’s strongman persona.
“It was a self-created litmus test that the Indian government needed to ace. There are likely domestic dividends for it.”
Praveen Donthi
Danger Of Further Escalation
However, International Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for India, Praveen Donthi warned that the Indian attack on Pakistan also “portends future risks.”
Donthi noted that the “escalation between India and Pakistan has already reached a larger scale than during the last major crisis in 2019” with “potentially dire consequences.”
He asserted that domestic emotions are high on both sides, fuelling the danger of further escalation.
Kugelman agreed, describing India’s latest missile attacks as “the most intense levels of Indian military actions we’ve seen in Pakistan for quite a few years now.”
Currently, Kugelman said, that there is “a pretty strong possibility” of escalation, given that both countries have nuclear weapons.
“The more hostilities that are used through conventional military force under a nuclear umbrella, the higher the risk of nuclear escalation.
“We’re not there but certainly, the escalation risks are quite high.”
Michael Kugelman
However, Donthi urged India and Pakistan to choose diplomacy, “as any further military action carries unacceptable risks.” He added, “As a starting point, both sides should stop ceasefire violations along the border.”
Other countries should also call on India and Pakistan to de-escalate, he said, including by initiating back-channel talks and preventing further tit-for-tat.
READ ALSO: Ghana Champions Robust Fibre Infrastructure to Drive Digital Economy
