7 August 2024

Time for Hard Choices: How India Can Neutralise Pakistani Threat - Opinion

Tara Kartha

Trouble is rearing its head again in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. That this occurs after a long period of peace in the area, particularly the usually untouched areas in Jammu, is cause not just for alarm, but also for some hard thinking about practical solutions for India. It’s not just that Assembly elections are due, but the Chinese border is also volatile. As Rawalpindi well knows, that puts India in a rather difficult position.

Situation on the ground

The data available needs to be seen in perspective.

First, while the army generally considers this period infiltration season, given that passes will soon close for winter, the facts indicate that infiltration has occurred in multiple areas, including across the international border through Punjab and Nepal. In other words, it’s multi-pronged. Infiltration through Nepal has been observed before, but not through Punjab. This likely means another network is active.

Second, this buildup has been happening for some time. Recall that two officers and a police officer were killed in Anantnag in September of last year, and that incidents have escalated since then.


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