There’s a general misapprehension amongst many that terrorism can be effectively eradicated solely by using the ‘fighting fire with fire’ strategy and killing or apprehending terrorists through application of military force. However, while military action is undoubtedly essential to curb terrorist activities, it can by no means eliminate this scourge by itself because terrorism has its own flourishing ecosystem.

Tackling terrorism becomes all the more challenging when it is being sponsored by a country as is the case in J&K where Pakistan army’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence [ISI] is complicit in training, arming, sustaining and providing safe sanctuaries to terrorist groups fighting in Kashmir. In fact, what one is witnessing in J&K isn’t terrorism in the true sense; it’s indisputably a full blown proxy war!

Pakistan has been hauled up several times in the past by both international organisations and the global community for supporting cross border terrorism in J&K. However, Islamabad’s refusal to mend its ways and the international community’s indifference has made it absolutely clear that New Delhi needs to fight this proxy war on its own, and it’s really heartening to note that India is doing so across the spectrum with full resolve.

Concerted military actions by the army as well as central and local armed police forces have succeeded in putting Pakistan sponsored terrorists on the back foot. Resultantly, while the number of terrorist initiated incidents in J&K which stood at 228 in 2018, fell to just 43 in 2023 [up to November 30], and the number of encounters between security forces and terrorists reduced from 189 to 48 during the same period.

Those engaged in anti-terrorism operations deserve full credit for displaying indomitable grit, extraordinary determination and raw courage that has defeated ISI’s........

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