Strategic Paralysis and Hypocrisy: India’s Inward Collapse and the Perils of Escalation with Pakistan

Reading Time: 4 minutes India’s response to the 26 April incident has once again exposed the limits of its strategic manoeuvrability. Despite inflammatory rhetoric from New Delhi, no credible, independently verifiable evidence has been furnished to prove Pakistani involvement. This lack of transparency has led many observers to question the timing and intent behind the incident, with some even suggesting the possibility of a false flag operation designed to serve domestic political interests. As India faces rising internal unrest, an increasingly fragile economic outlook, and growing international scrutiny, the spectre of conflict with Pakistan may serve as a convenient distraction—albeit a dangerous one. Militarily, India is far from prepared to prosecute a successful campaign against Pakistan. While it boasts a larger armed force on paper, its combat readiness has been under growing strain. Critical equipment shortages across the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy have been widely reported by Indian