India’s national security doctrine entered a sharper phase in 2025, as the government under Narendra Modi enforced a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism, particularly cross-border threats emanating from Pakistan. What had long been policy hardened into practice after a series of developments culminated in one of the deadliest terror attacks in recent years — the Pahalgam massacre.
A year defined by terror and retaliation
Cross-border terrorism and India’s response shaped the national security narrative of 2025. The April 22 attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, where 26 civilians were killed, triggered nationwide outrage. The assault, attributed to Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba proxies, was marked by chilling brutality, with attackers allegedly identifying victims by religion before opening fire.
Prime Minister Modi, who was on an overseas visit, immediately cut short his trip and returned to New Delhi. In his first public address after the attack, he vowed that India would “identify, trace and punish every terrorist and their backers,” signalling an uncompromising stance.
Global leaders, including Donald Trump, reached out to express solidarity. The attack coincided with the India visit of JD Vance, further underscoring international attention on the crisis.
Diplomatic and economic pressure on Pakistan
Within 24 hours, India unveiled a series of punitive diplomatic measures against Pakistan. These included placing the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, shutting the Attari integrated check post, cancelling SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme privileges for Pakistani nationals, expelling defence advisors, and reducing the strength of both high commissions. The moves effectively pushed Pakistan to the margins of India’s diplomatic engagement.
Operation Sindoor: military response
On the night of May 6–7, India launched Operation Sindoor, its most extensive counterterror strike since Balakot in 2019. The operation targeted nine terror facilities linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Muridke and Bahawalpur. The government described the strikes as focused, measured, and non-escalatory.
Pakistan’s subsequent attempts at retaliation using drones and missiles were intercepted by India’s integrated air defence systems, including the S-400. India responded with further precision strikes on multiple Pakistani airbases, inflicting significant damage on air force infrastructure.
Sustained counterterror operations
Following Sindoor, security forces intensified operations within Jammu and Kashmir. Operation Keller led to the elimination of key Lashkar commanders in Shopian, while Operation Mahadev culminated in the killing of the three terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam massacre in July.
Announcing the outcome in Parliament, Union home minister Amit Shah said the operations sent an unequivocal message to terror masterminds about the cost of targeting Indian civilians.
Together, these actions marked 2025 as a watershed year in India’s counterterror strategy, establishing what the government calls a “new normal” in responding to terrorism.
