Two years ago Pulwama was a grim reminder of how this nation of 1.3 billion was held to ransom by terrorists trained by the Pakistani military. Balakot that followed 12 days later signified India’s resolve to checkmate such agencies. To a large extent, the counter-offensive has helped even though the extent of damage caused to Pakistan or to the terror modules remains unclear. The positive side of the Balakot hit was that Pakistani generals, having taken an unexpected hit, stopped their attempts at browbeating India. The cautious approach of Prime Minister Imran Khan has helped too in restoring a modicum of peace in the subcontinent.
The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 was a watershed in the 30-year-old history of insurgency by Pakistani terrorists in Kashmir Valley and beyond. This having happened under the UPA term of Manmohan Singh, Mumbai went unanswered. India rather blinked. But, the resolve to retaliate began emerging here from then on, in case such eventualities arose in the future. Pulwama happened on February 14, 2019, and the retaliation was swift and well-organised. While there was no huge damage to Pakistan, and this by deliberate intent on the part of the Indian leadership, fact is also that this was for the first time that Indian military jets forced their way into areas deep inside, the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, and returned safely after accomplishing the task of pounding terrorist hideouts run with military protection there. True, India lost a fighter plane or two in a counter-offensive from Pakistan, but fact was also that the enemy jets failed to cross the border into India.
The Pakistani military generals who were engaged in bombasts for the past many years that they would teach a lesson to India with nuclear bombs if any attack was attempted at from this side, were tongue-tied and ran for cover. With Imran Khan too having taken a hit from the Indian offensive, the Pakistani establishment as a whole chose to lie low thereafter.
India does not seek a war with Pakistan or China. The threat that existed for a while about a united offensive by these two militaries against India, the two acting in unison, too is dissipating. China seems to be in a mood to discuss and sort out matters along the LAC and Ladakh or the Galwan Valley in particular. Overall, therefore the security scenario in the entire geopolitical region seems set for improvement. This is a good sign for the post-Covid days when attention could be focused more on economic revival.