Instability next door is a reason for vigilance, not complacency
Opinion: this editorial reflects the editor's view.
Reports say Pakistan faces a two-front security crisis, with the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch rebels targeting projects linked to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. India should not gloat. An unstable neighbour that India has long accused of backing militant groups is a risk, not a comfort.
India has shown it will respond firmly to terror, as Operation Sindoor in May 2025 demonstrated. The lesson is to keep the guard up: modern border surveillance, stronger intelligence sharing, faster defence procurement and a domestic industry that can supply our forces. Diplomacy should keep telling the world that sponsoring terror has a cost.
At home, leaders of every party should avoid remarks that echo hostile narratives. National security is one area where the country should speak in a steady voice.
The other side
Critics say vigilance and force must be paired with diplomacy and political outreach, including in Jammu and Kashmir, and that tough rhetoric should not replace transparency on security spending and incidents. Some strategic analysts also argue that even limited channels of dialogue with Pakistan reduce the risk of miscalculation.
