“This Government Plans for the Day After, Not Just the Day Of”

By Kumkum Chadha

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Pankaj Saran, who has worked closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offers a rare glimpse into the strategic thinking inside the Indian establishment during and after the Pahalgam terror attack. In a candid conversation, Saran forcefully rejects the notion that India lost face or blinked first in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. He says this government isn’t emotional, nor is it reactive—it is driven by a long-term, deliberate strategy aimed at securing India’s place in a hostile geopolitical landscape.

Having been a key member of one of the 33 multi-party delegations sent across the globe following the April 22 terror strike in Pahalgam that killed 26, Saran visited France and Italy, part of a nine-member team led by BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. These delegations were part of a first-of-its-kind diplomatic push, aiming to engage with foreign governments, media and think-tanks in the wake of India’s counter strikes across the Line of Control. “This PM and government are not emotional or fools,” says Saran. “They do not live for the present, but for the day after.”

In a calm, calculated voice that reflects years of diplomatic and national security experience, Saran addresses every major criticism of the government’s actions—from the supposed haste of the ceasefire to the silence of the international community, to the controversial role played by US President Donald Trump, and the debate over whether India’s narrative was strong enough on the global stage.

OPERATION SINDOOR: A CALCULATED RESPONSE, NOT AN EMOTIONAL RETALIATION

Saran is clear that the ceasefire following Operation Sindoor was not “hasty” but “well thought-out”. He dismisses suggestions that India blinked in the face of Pakistani missile threats: “This was not meant to be a final solution. Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s guts to go in—and the courage to stop.”

He also pushes back against the view that the prime minister’s image has taken a hit: “The Armed Forces are happy with his leadership and the free hand he gave them. The people are happy that he acted decisively on terror. If anything, he stands tall because the objective of Sindoor was achieved.”

INDIA’S GLOBAL OUTREACH: A STRATEGIC SHIFT

Saran rejects claims that the multi-party delegations weakened India’s position or “internationalized” the Kashmir issue. On the contrary, he sees the campaign as a bold and necessary innovation. “Conventional wisdom would have told you: don’t go. But this government is saying—I am coming to you and explaining. That’s not being defensive. That’s owning the narrative.”

He notes that the delegations weren’t just engaging foreign governments, but also opinion-makers like parliamentarians, media houses, and think-tanks—creating a layered, multi-channel diplomacy few previous governments attempted.

ON TRUMP, THE WEST, AND THE “MISSING” GLOBAL APPLAUSE

When asked about President Trump’s claim that he helped de-escalate tensions by using trade as leverage, Saran shrugs: “Trump has a certain way of dealing with the world. He lives by social media. What he said is not India-specific, and it doesn’t affect our position.”

Was India diplomatically isolated during the conflict? Saran doesn’t think so. The world’s silence, he says, was strategic acceptance: “Support poured in after Pahalgam, recognizing our right to self-defense. After Sindoor, silence was the best one could realistically expect. And silence, in this context, is endorsement.”

PAKISTAN’S COUNTER-STRIKE: A “RUSE”

Saran acknowledges Pakistan retaliated, but calls much of it symbolic: “They hit, but the swarms were just a big ruse—most were dummy and ineffective.”

He also reveals the final Indian strike on May 10 was “devastating and lethal”, forcing Pakistan to raise the white flag and ask for cessation of hostilities.

ON PoK AND NARRATIVE FRAMING

Bringing the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir issue to the fore, Saran says, it is simply the government taking a more frontal approach to India’s long-standing position: “Earlier governments didn’t project it as aggressively. This government is correcting that mistake.”

While he concedes India’s narrative could’ve been sharper post-Sindoor, he maintains the operation was an overwhelming success. And he is firm on one point: expecting constant international validation is a flawed mindset with “diminishing returns”.

“What would be diplomatic success? Have you been sanctioned? Hauled over the coals? Has there been a UN resolution condemning India? No. We did what we had to—and got away with it. That says a lot.” 

—The writer is an author, journalist and political commentator

The post “This Government Plans for the Day After, Not Just the Day Of” appeared first on India Legal.

This article first appeared on India Legal