Indian Surgical Strike: Implications and Response by Pakistan

Ever since the election of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, India has constantly been on a quest for showcasing and exhibiting its larger than life persona and proving to an audience at home and abroad, its aspirations for greater power status. A shrewd approach, timed to perfection, in a world which despite facing the worst of constant military engagement during the Cold War, is once again slipping into hard power projection. As the contemporary world appears to be fast latching on to the trend of hyper-nationalism, promoted by effective political leadership as the expression of ultimate power projection of its respective countries, over-enthusiastic populations are happily and blindly embracing the idea without realising its consequences. The surgical strike strategy used by Modi against Pakistan must be seen as an effective tool for ensuring re-election of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), but also as an expression of hyper-nationalism. Such disturbing developments raise serious questions about deterrence stability, the future of India-Pakistan relations and changing dynamics of warfare in the region.