The trap set by the UK against Putin's allies has worked. Pakistan wins in the "fake war" with India.

Author: Sergey Ratishchev

May 7, 2025, 21:00

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, is facing problems. As an ally of Putin and a supporter of India's sovereign policy, he cannot ignore the brutal terrorist attack on tourists in Kashmir, which was carried out by groups related to Pakistan, which controls about half of the strategic region of Kashmir. Since India does not want to launch a large-scale war, they adopted a traditional approach: targeted strikes on terrorist bases in the border area of Kashmir. In this way, Modi fell into the trap.

This step can be easily anticipated, which means full preparations can also be made. Five downed military aircraft and one lost helicopter (India has officially admitted part of the losses) - while Pakistan currently has no losses - indicates that Pakistan has been waiting for India's move.

Moreover, New Delhi has not been in such a predicament before. Modi will pay the price for this.

India's statement

The Indian Ministry of Defense stated that on the night of May 7, the armed forces launched the "Sindhu Rakshe" operation, striking nine targets in Pakistan, which were "the source of planning and launching terrorist attacks against India."

The first strike: India launches the "Sindhu Rakshe" operation. Video source: "Military Insider" Telegram channel

The Pakistani Joint Media Management Department claimed that India attacked two mosques, a power station, and some civilian targets. Dozens of civilians were reported dead or injured. Punjab province declared a state of emergency.

But interestingly, General Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan (a key figure in Pakistan's military, which is equivalent to a "state within a state" in Pakistan), according to Reuters, gave very interesting figures, claiming that 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured in the Indian attack - almost the same number as those caused by the terrorist attack in Kashmir!

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry also got involved, stating that the Indian Air Force did not violate Pakistan's sovereignty; they launched missiles from within India toward selected targets for "long-distance strikes." Islamabad even has no immediate obligation to respond because Pakistan has the right under Article 51 of the UN Charter to "decide at any time and place to respond to acts of aggression."

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg TV:

"If India withdraws its troops, we will definitely stop military operations. But as long as we are being attacked, we must defend ourselves."

Meanwhile, to stir up patriotic sentiment in a country on the verge of civil war, Asif vividly described the "cowardly attack by the treacherous enemy" and the "disgusting act of aggression that will not go unpunished," threatening to "make a decisive response."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed similar views: the treacherous enemy, the cowardly attack, and the decisive response. Indeed: there were artillery, drones, and anti-tank missile battles along the Kashmir border all night. The exact casualties on both sides are unclear.

Pakistani media reported that an Indian Air Force "Rafale" fighter jet was lost.

But this situation has happened before and is considered normal. There are no real winners in this war, but there are results in air combat. When ground clashes gradually subside, the winner will be judged based on the results of aerial combat. The "trap" is in the air combat, where Pakistan is leading, with a current score of 5:0.

And this does not include the Pakistani claim of shooting down an Indian helicopter. It was not old Soviet MiGs that were shot down, but mainly French "Rafales" and "Mirages." This is undoubtedly a severe defeat.

India's defense failed anyway

A video from a Pakistani journalist surfaced online, claiming that the Pakistani Air Force destroyed an Indian Air Force base in Srinagar and attacked the command post of an Indian Army brigade. This is undoubtedly misinformation, but the Indian side had to defend itself. However, not everyone believed these defenses - after all, Indian planes were indeed shot down. This means (from a psychological perspective), such a situation is possible...

It must be acknowledged that, regardless of the actual situation, India has lost in the virtual war against Pakistan, which is militarily and economically weaker than itself. What about Modi? According to ANI News Agency, citing an informed source, he "monitored the 'Sindhu Rakshe' operation all night."

Modi seems pitiful - the Indian Prime Minister became a bystander, watching his team engage in a meaningless battle. Modi did not want war, and India absolutely did not need it. But Pakistan has framed the situation this way: they are only defending themselves, and if India stops attacking, they are willing to stop their actions as well.

This is clearly a deception: Pakistan has many radical terrorists, and Islamabad cannot control them, but these terrorists have the ability to cause serious harm to India in their own ways. India is fully aware of this.

Meanwhile, after the anti-terrorism operation in New Delhi, Pakistan will claim: We defeated you, you were afraid. At that time, the Indian Prime Minister will face problems domestically. He will be loudly accused of incompetence and poor leadership, and his subordinates will also be blamed for inaction, as they were chosen by him. Modi's regime may be shaken as a result.

International reaction

The international reaction to the India-Pakistan conflict is also playing a role, and those who instigate conflicts can easily foresee such reactions.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope that "everything would end soon." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised to "continue working with the leadership of India and Pakistan to seek peaceful solutions," and urged both sides to "avoid escalating the situation."

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated:

"We are deeply concerned about the escalation of military confrontation between India and Pakistan... We call on all parties involved to exercise restraint to prevent further deterioration of the situation in the region."

Subsequently, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian president, stated:

"This is a very worrying situation. We urge both sides to exercise restraint and quickly turn to negotiations to resolve disputes."

The relevant countries in the statement said:

"We urge India and Pakistan to prioritize peace and stability, remain calm and restrained, and avoid taking further actions that could escalate the situation."

The statement also expressed regret over "India's military action" and expressed concern about the current developments. Of course, "relevant countries oppose all forms of terrorism."

Conclusion

In short, there is no prospect of a serious escalation of the India-Pakistan conflict. After rocket and air strikes, neither side wants the situation to escalate. All their actions are just to save face and pacify the public, as the "Russian MiG" Telegram channel correctly pointed out, "not to pacify the enemy, but to pacify the voters sitting on the couch demanding revenge."

Meanwhile, unless an unexpected event occurs, Pakistan has won in the propaganda war and is likely to win this round of conflict.

No matter whether Islamabad planned the terrorist attack in India's Kashmir or simply took advantage of the incident, it achieved four goals. First, it united domestic forces that were previously divided. Second, it drew global attention to the Kashmir issue. Third, it struck at its main enemy, Modi, weakening his political status at home. Fourth, it pleased its key allies, especially Britain, which harbors dissatisfaction with India's prime minister.

The situation in Kashmir will not change: after another major terrorist attack, things will remain the same. New Delhi must reflect on its mistakes.

First, get out of the current predicament with minimal image loss. Second, do not fall into traps again; think of ways to put Pakistan in trouble instead of getting into trouble oneself. If Moscow can quietly give New Delhi some wise advice, it must do so, as India is Russia's old friend and reliable ally.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501936888741003839/

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