Prodigal son ought to return

Over the past seventy-nine years, India has been a world's prodigal son. Often managing to avoid consequences for both intentional and unintentional missteps in diplomacy, foreign relations, and particularly in its pursuits of attempting to gain regional hegemony. During the Cold War, India leveraged its identity as the world's largest democracy while also aligning itself with the Non-Aligned Movement, enabling it to engage effectively with both sides of the Iron Curtain. Later, in the unipolar global order shaped by free trade, India capitalised on its vast population and the appeal of its large market to its fullest advantage. In the process, India undeniably achieved remarkable success. It is now amongst the world's leading economies, a nuclear power, and possesses a formidable military equipped with some of the most advanced and lethal weapons in the world.

The first quarter of the 21st century has been especially significant for India. As a founding member of BRICS, its entry into QUAD in 2007, later revived in 2017, and landmark agreements with the United States, such as the Civil Nuclear Agreement and foundational defence pacts like LEMOA, COMCASA and BECA, gave India an opportunity to assert its stature as a so-called net security provider in the region. However, India appears to have misread this role. Rather than emerging as a stabilising force and provider of security, it has increasingly come to be seen as a hegemonic power. Moreover, its Hindutva-driven domestic policies and Akhand Bharat-inspired external posture have placed the security of the entire region under serious strain.

India's posturing against Pakistan in the last two and a half decades has been extremely offensive, unethical and based on blatant lies and staged undertakings. The BJP government has thrived on an anti-Pakistan narrative to gain domestic political advantages over other parties and has exploited both state and private media to its fullest benefit. From the incidents of the Uri attacks in 2016, to Pulwama in 2019, to Pahalgam in 2025, it took the world nine years to recognise and question India's narrative.

Pakistan's consistent stance of condemning terrorism in all its forms, calling for credible evidence when accused, and repeatedly pointing to alleged Indian involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan remained evident throughout these years, but wider acceptance was hindered by India's overwhelming influence. However, the changed global and regional geopolitical environment after May 2025 has not been correctly evaluated by India, and this remains the main reason for its current state of denial and hostility towards Pakistan, particularly in light of the growing international recognition of Pakistan's hard-earned credibility and its role in facilitating efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Although it is against Sun Tzu's advice to interrupt the enemy when it is committing mistakes, blunders in the case of India, the problem is that India's size, geostrategic location and inherent potential indicate that without its meaningful involvement and participation, the chances of sustained peace and prosperity in the region remain bleak. Therefore, India needs to address the critical question of what options lie before it in the prevailing environment.

My suggestion is that instead of relying on rhetoric and derogatory language against Pakistan, and on theatrics in the media, policymakers should listen to more balanced domestic voices and move away from an anti-Pakistan mindset. Secondly, India should realise that sustainable peace in South Asia cannot be achieved through unilateral actions. From Nehru to the Indira Doctrine to the hardcore Hindutva-driven BJP policies, India has remained in a prolonged state of regional isolation in the past. The only semblance of a peaceful South Asia was visible when India rose above the rhetoric of non-reciprocity and engaged with other countries with respect and reciprocity during the SAARC period.

India, besides acknowledging the concerns of its neighbours, could consider reviving South Asian regional cooperation frameworks. It can also work towards normalising its relations with Pakistan by stepping back from supporting or enabling terror networks in Pakistan and by resuming a comprehensive dialogue on all issues affecting the relationship. India can use the opportunity provided by the evolving geostrategic environment and join Pakistan in efforts aimed at sustained regional peace and prosperity. This would not only help improve the lives of millions across the region but also allow India to reshape its image from one perceived as escalating tensions to that of a responsible stakeholder committed to peace and stability.

Finally, India should realise that mere size, military strength and market appeal, amplified through media theatrics, rhetoric and threatening statements, are no longer instruments of lasting respect and credibility. Even in the prevailing vacuum of global order, relevance and respect can be earned through an honest, reliable and balanced diplomatic posture. Pakistan has demonstrated this to the world in the last two months and intends to continue doing so in the coming days. It is now up to India to acknowledge this and join in efforts for peace, or to continue with intransigence.