What fractured the already fragile peace between the two neighbours was not a conventional military confrontation, but a heinous act of terror, which is both a symptom and the root cause of this latest escalation.
India’s decision to retaliate following the grotesque, Gestapo-style massacre of innocent tourists in Pahalgam was not merely military, it was emotive. The strikes were not bombs dropped on terror camps, they were statements, both loud and deliberate against an entrenched terror-exporting infrastructure operation under the shadow of the Pakistani state.
But here lies the deeper danger. To assume that terrorism has a single address - Muzaffarabad or some cave in PoK, is to miss the forest for the trees. Eradicating terror from Pakistan, even if possible, will not automatically bring peace to the subcontinent.
That’s because terror does not only breed in training camps, it also festers in ideology, poverty, resentment, and political inertia. You can destroy a camp, but cannot bomb an idea.
Also read: India's decisive 'Op Sindoor' sends Pak begging for ceasefire
The architecture of hate and radicalisation is no longer geographically confined. In an age of digital propaganda and algorithmic chambers, extremism can be brewed from across continents. It can be whispered in rooms, coded into textbooks or streamed into smartphones. The real war, then is not about territory but instead, narratives.
India’s actions are not isolated, they reflect a broader pattern seen globally. For instance, Israel’s targeted strikes against Hamas in Gaza and the United States operations against Al-Qaeda and ISIS demonstrate that while military actions can dismantle terror infrastructure, they often do not eradicate the underlying ideologies.
The Global War on Terror (GWOT) was a campaign launched in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. The then-President George W. Bush launched a comprehensive plan to eliminate and disrupt all terrorist organisations around the globe. He said, “Our war on terror begins with Al-Qaeda, but it does not end there, it will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.” The Global War on Terror (GWOT) disrupted extremist groups, dismantled safe havens, cut off terror financing, and enhanced global security, reducing the immediate threat to the U.S. homeland. However, it also fueled radicalisation and paved the way for new extremist groups to emerge and spread violence.
Terrorism isn’t a tangible disease, but its spread can be just as insidious. These ideologies, if left unaddressed can resurface in new forms and locations. Often adapting into lone-wolf attacks, digital recruitment and transnational cells as well. India’s military preparedness speaks it’s determination to protect it’s citizens and sovereignty. However, it requires a holistic strategy that includes counter-radicalisation efforts, international cooperation, and addressing the socio-economic factors behind such extremism.
India must continue to strengthen its internal resilience and work with global partners to ensure the ideology of terror finds no fertile ground to grow, because “if you let the snake live, it will grow it’s fangs again.”
Counter-terrorism today goes beyond drone precision, it is also about interfaith dialogue, regional diplomacy, community engagement and education reform.
The message from New Delhi is unequivocal: terror will not be normalised. If the past decade has taught the world anything, it is that democracies cannot afford to be complacent. Whether in Kashmir or Tel Aviv, the cost of ignoring ideological extremism is always paid in innocent lives.
Well, if terror is both a symptom and a root cause, can we truly combat it without first confronting the ideologies that give it life?
By Shyna Gupta
Follow us
