The April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, which claimed the lives of 26 Hindu tourists, marks a chilling escalation in the pattern of violence plaguing the Valley. The calculated nature of the assault ~ where militants segregated victims by religion before opening fire ~ has shaken the nation’s conscience. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was right to convey to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the perpetrators, backers, and planners must be held accountable.

Justice, not vengeance, must guide India’s course ~ but it must be firm and unflinching. India has identified the attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, confirming the cross-border nature of this terror operation. Pakistan, however, has dismissed any link and called for a “neutral investigation.” That call rings hollow when seen in the context of Pakistan’s long history of harbouring and enabling extremist elements. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s attempt to shift blame and its Army Chief General Asim Munir’s aggressive warning of a “swift, resolute, and notch-up response” to any Indian action reflects the old playbook ~ denial, deflection, and deterrence by escalation. India cannot be browbeaten by such rhetoric.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to the service chiefs ~ granting them the freedom to decide on a suitable response ~ signals resolve. At the same time, the government is wisely applying calibrated pressure. By putting the Indus Waters Treaty under review and closing airspace to Pakistani carriers, India is using the levers of international law and bilateral agreements to send a strategic message without immediate military escalation. This attack also underscores the urgent need for intelligence modernisation and inter-agency coordination within India.

A proactive approach to tracking cross-border infiltration, digital propaganda, and sleeper cells can help prevent such tragedies. While diplomacy and deterrence unfold externally, internal preparedness must evolve into a formidable shield against future assaults. The closure of religious seminaries and the evacuation of tourists in Pakistanoccupied Kashmir suggest that even Islamabad anticipates Indian retaliation. While such measures indicate preparedness, they also reflect a state that has prioritized reaction over reflection. The involvement of the United States offers both opportunity and challenge. Mr Rubio’s call for de-escalation and support for India’s anti-terror stance is welcome, as is US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s affirmation of India’s right to defend itself.

But the global community, including the US, must go further. Washington must press Pakistan to dismantle the terror infrastructure that continues to operate with impunity. China too, as a regional power, has urged restraint ~ an appeal that would carry more credibility if it addressed the root cause: Pakistan’s patronage of terrorists. As India mourns the victims of Pahalgam, we must act with both strength and sense. Retaliation for its own sake risks falling into the trap the terrorists set. But justice delayed or denied will only embolden the forces that seek to destabilise the region. The world must stand with India ~ not just in words, but in action.