India’s New Security Doctrine

There is no doubt about India’s changed approach to deal with the cross-border terrorism that Pakistan has been using to indulge in an asymmetrical war with India in Jammu and Kashmir. Over the decades Pakistan’s terror acts against India in Jammu and Kashmir besides the rest of the nation were termed as proxy war. But the magnitude of Pakistan’s terrorist acts has made it clear that it is not mere terrorism but an all out war in disguise by involving the un-uniformed militias and mercenaries that are trained and patronised on its soil  to wage a religious war and instigate the people in the name of religion and engineer destabilisation to break India. India’s traditional response has been that of restraint but with the presence of the Narendra Modi government at the centre things have changed as India has recalibrated its response to Pakistan’s violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India. The proactive response of the Indian security establishment  with surgical strikes has created a new approach to nip the Pakistani aggression in the bud to foil its nefarious designs. Operation Sindoor that was launched to give an apt response to Pakistan after the gruesome Pahalgam carnage orchestrated by the Pakistan trained and patronised  religious zealots  has sent a strong message that India means business and it knows how to avenge the martyrdom of its innocent civilians. This has changed the rules of the game and a given Pakistan a punch on the face by destroying its terror infrastructure  located in its territory and the areas of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir(POJK).Special debate on Operation Sindoor that was initiated in the Lok Sabha on Monday when the Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh delivered the opening remarks by warning Pakistan  that strikes will resume if it again  resorts to  any misadventure, signifies the adoption of the New Security Doctrine  in India that  won’t wait but will act  to destroy the Pakistani launching pads  meant for inflicting damage to Indian assets. Raksha Mantri has rightly  appreciated the Indian Armed Forces that enabled the Indian victory and defeat of the Pakistani aggression. He made it clear that the  Operation Sindoor’s  politico-military objective was  to punish Pakistan for waging  war against India in the garb of terrorism. He also made it clear that this was halted  as  its military and political objectives were achieved  and there was no pressure to end it. Pakistan’s belligerence against India has led it towards chaos. It can be gauged from the Indian response  that extends beyond the military action. By putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance Pakistan will have to rethink its policy of terrorism against India. This move will affect its agricultural production and will have an impact on the water needs, irrigation and other water related consumption. India has sent two notices to Pakistan so far but there has been no response. There is ample scope under Article XII of the Treaty to renegotiate its terms of reference as the times and situation have changed. As such there is a need for the Indus Waters Treaty 2.0 to put the things in perspective. India’s new approach to deal with Pakistan is realistic as it has rejected  India’s offer of peace and only worsened the bilateral relations. Pakistan will have to internalise that it is dealing with a new India that means business when it comes to uphold the territorial integrity and sovereignty.