Indo-Pak War (2025) and India’s ‘New-Normal’ – Indian Blog of International Law

Aman Kumar

In the aftermath of the India-Pakistan War in May 2025, the Indian government decided to send seven groups of parliamentarians to multiple countries. At the time, it was said that the aim was to convey India’s position on the terrorist attacks and to expose Pakistan’s links to the terrorists who committed the Pahalgam attack. Here, I look at the Press Release issued by the Press Information Bureau of India regarding all those visits. The aim is to excavate any international law issue out of these statements. It will help us in understanding India’s official position on various matters related to the War and also India’s state practice regarding terrorist attacks.

I have included links to the officials documents, and have noted some keywords which appear in each statement. I have also included some excerpts from those statements. Readers are of course encouraged to read the Statements for broader understanding.

As one can notice, in only three out of the fifteen statements a clear reference is made to Pakistan or its involvement in the April terror attack. The focus rather is on conveying ‘new-normal’ in India’s approach in dealing with terrorism. How this is new and how is this different from the approach India undertook after the Uri terror attack and Pathankot terror attack in unclear from these statements. While conducting attacks in Balakot, India had reasoned that ‘(i)n the face of imminent danger, a preemptive strike became absolutely necessary.’ Then also the government was ‘firmly and resolutely committed to taking all necessary measures to fight the menace of terrorism’ and due to that commitment it had conducted ‘non-military preemptive action’ which was ‘specifically targeted at the JeM camp’. How is the new-normal different from its earlier approach is unclear.

‘Zero-tolerance against cross border terrorism is the new normal‘ seems to be the main message. The parliamentarians rarely claimed during their visits that this cross-border terrorism was aided/abetted by Pakistan, something which is a legal requirement under international law of State Responsibility. One can understand that the countries these parliamentarians visited might not have wanted to name Pakistan, but what was stopping the parliamentarians themselves from naming Pakistan? And if they did, why does the Press Release not say so?

Abu Dhabi, 22 May 2025

Keywords:

• cross-border terrorism
• efforts to cause social disharmony in India by Pakistan
• presented factual evidence to counter the disinformation and exposed Pakistan’s propaganda machinery
• underscored the precise, measured, and non-escalatory nature of Operation Sindoor
• setting of new normal by the Prime Minister against cross-border terrorism

Excerpts:

brief on the significance of Operation Sindoor and reaffirm India’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism

underscored the precise, measured, and non-escalatory nature of Operation Sindoor against the barbaric terrorist attack on the tourists in Kashmir on April 22

drawing the complete timeline of India’s long battle against cross-border terrorism and setting of new normal by the Prime Minister against cross-border terrorism with Operation Sindoor

highlighted the perpetration of cross-border terrorism and efforts to cause social disharmony in India by Pakistan.

Addressed concerns over misinformation campaigns emanating from Pakistan. They presented factual evidence to counter the disinformation and exposed Pakistan’s propaganda machinery

*****

Japan, 22 May 2025

Keywords:

• zero tolerance for terrorism
• no difference between terrorists and those supporting them
• India responded to the attack in a precise, targeted, proportionate and non-escalatory manner
• need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and to bring them to justice

Excertps

conveyed that the terrorist attack in Pahalgam was a nefarious attempt to disturb development and peace in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India. Through Operation Sindoor, India responded to the attack in a precise, targeted, proportionate and non-escalatory manner

conveyed that India has zero tolerance for terrorism and that it does not differentiate between terrorists and those supporting them. He requested Japan’s support in the fight against terrorism and, in this context, called for giving effect to the UN Security Council Press Statement of 25 April 2025 which underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and to bring them to justice

*****

Russian Federation, 23 May 2025

Keywords:

• zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism
• need for credible international mechanisms to deny safe havens, financing, and political justification to terrorist entities

Excerpts:

reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and stressed that India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail

conveyed India’s resolve to expose and isolate those who employ terrorism as an instrument of state policy and reaffirmed the importance of international solidarity in this regard

drew attention to Operation Sindoor as a response in the country’s fight against terrorism

underlined the imperative of collective action against terrorism, including the need for credible international mechanisms to deny safe havens, financing, and political justification to terrorist entities

*****

Qatar, 25 May 2025

Keywords:

• zero tolerance policy on terrorism
• continued threat of cross-border terrorism
• Operation Sindoor was calibrated, targeted and proportionate

Excerpts:

India’s zero tolerance policy on terrorism and need to stop differentiating the terrorists and their backers

underscored the continued threat of cross-border terrorism and deliberate attempts to sow social discord in India

highlighted that Operation Sindoor, conducted by India in response, was calibrated, targeted and proportionate, demonstrating India’s commitment to countering terrorism without escalating tensions.

*****

Republic of Korea, 26 May 2025

Keywords:

• Pakistan’s involvement in orchestrating the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam
• zero tolerance against terrorism
• measured, and non-escalatory action taken by India
• India’s “New Normal” of swift and decisive retaliation
• no distinction can be made between terrorists and their sponsors
• dialogue can not co-exist with terror

Excerpts:

The delegation reaffirmed India’s “New Normal” of swift and decisive retaliation on India’s terms against terrorism. They also emphasized that no distinction can be made between terrorists and their sponsors

clearly explained Pakistan’s involvement in orchestrating the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to cause social disharmony in India. They highlighted that our initial response as well as subsequent action was measured, targeted, non-escalatory, and responsible. Reaffirming India’s principled and resolute stand against terrorism, they reiterated that dialogue can not co-exist with terror

*****

France, 27 May 2025

Keywords:

• unequivocal stance against terrorism

Excerpts:

to convey India’s unequivocal stance against terrorism

*****

Guyana, 27 May 2025

Keywords:

• terrorist attack  was planned and executed by terrorist organisation sheltered and supported by Pakistan
• Discussed India’s position on cross-border terrorism
• Shared its perspective on Pakistan sponsored cross border terrorism
• India’s response has set a new normal in its fight against terrorism

Excerpts:

Emphasised that India’s response displayed our collective national resolve to bring the perpetrators of this heinous and inhuman terrorist attack  – planned and executed by terrorist organisation sheltered and supported by Pakistan – to justice.

*****

Democratic Republic of Congo, 27 May 2025

Keywords:

• Fight against cross-border terrorism
• Zero tolerance policy against terrorism
• New normal in fight against cross-border terrorism

*****

Italy, 27 May 2025

Keywords:

• zero-tolerance for terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations

Excerpts:

country’s unified position about zero-tolerance for terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations#

# This was a generic statement, not clearly specifying what was said in Italy

*****

Singapore, 27 May 2025

Keywords:

• new normal in India’s strategy against terrorism
• specifically targeted against the terrorist infrastructure
• measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible response

Excerpts:

Operation Sindoor, specifically targeted against the terrorist infrastructure. India’s response was measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible

India will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism.

*****

Slovenia, 27 May 2025

Keywords:

• Strong and resolute response to cross-border terrorism
• Zero tolerance against terrorism
• New normal in fight against terrorism

Excerpts:

Strong and resolute response to cross-border terrorism and consensus on Zero tolerance against this scourge

Candid and forceful articulation of India’s viewpoint and exposition of the New normal in fight against terrorism

*****

Saudi Arabia, 28 May 2025

Keywords:

• dismantling terrorist infrastructure,  denying safe heavens, financing and political justification to terrorist entities
• Highlighting the new normal in our approach to terrorism
• zero tolerance towards terrorism

Excerpts:

Undelined the importance of dismantling terrorist infrastructure,  denying safe heavens, financing and political justification to terrorist entities

Highlighting the new normal in our approach to terrorism

Reiterated India’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism

*****

Colombia, 28 May 2025

Keywords:

• zero tolerance for terrorism

*****

Greece, 28 May 2025

Keywords:

• zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations
• no differentiation between terrorist actors and those who abet or shelter them

Excerpts:

convey India’s strong message of zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations

India’s unwavering commitment to unity, peace, and its firm resolve to combat the global menace of terrorism

There can be no differentiation between terrorist actors and those who abet or shelter them

*****

Indonesia, 28 May 2025

Keywords:

• No distinction between terrorists and their sponsors