ONE YEAR ON: PAHALGAM AND OPERATION SINDOOR — QUESTIONS LINGER AS SOUTH ASIA'S BALANCE SHIFTS

Islamabad / Karachi - April 21, 2026

Nearly a year after the Pahalgam attack and India's subsequent military strikes under Operation Sindoor, the geopolitical dust has far from settled - and analysts across the region are asking whether New Delhi's decisions have produced the outcomes it intended.

The Attack and Its Aftermath

On April 22, 2025, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, killed 26 tourists. The Resistance Front (TRF) initially claimed responsibility for the attack. Wikipedia India swiftly blamed Pakistan-backed militant networks, a charge Islamabad categorically denied.

On May 7, 2025, the Indian Air Force launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir - the first time since 1971 that India struck across the internationally recognized border. Pakistani military spokespersons stated that the strikes hit civilian areas, including mosques, resulting in civilian casualties. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

International Reaction: Far From Unanimous

India's expectation of broad global endorsement did not fully materialize. A former Indian ambassador candidly acknowledged that no country, even allies, endorsed India's attack on Pakistan. At best, they issued generic condemnations of terrorism. The Federal

While the domestic Indian narrative framed Operation Sindoor as a decisive victory, the international reaction was far more nuanced - and in many cases, muted. The Federal

Pakistan's Rising Regional Standing

Perhaps the most significant strategic consequence has been a shift in regional alignments. During the crisis and its aftermath, none of India's neighbours openly sided with New Delhi, even while condemning the terror attacks. Since 2025, Pakistan has intensified its regional outreach, holding trilateral meetings with Bangladesh and Afghanistan in collaboration with China, signalling interest in expanding the bloc to other regional countries while excluding India. Security and defence cooperation has expanded with Bangladesh and Nepal, and the Maldives hosted high-level Pakistani military delegations. ORF Online

Pakistan's new global stature, distinct from the notoriety that long dogged it for its so-called "terrorist factories," did not develop overnight - it goes back to Operation Sindoor and the perception within Pakistan that it won that bout with India. The India Forum

Pakistan's Strategic Leverage Grows

In a remarkable geopolitical turn, by April 2026, the United States - grappling with a prolonged and costly conflict with Iran - turned to Pakistan for diplomatic assistance in brokering peace, a reversal from 2025 when Pakistan itself sought US intervention during Operation Sindoor. The Fox Daily This development has significantly elevated Islamabad's standing in Washington.

The Unresolved Questions

India accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, which Pakistan denied. Wikipedia A fully independent international investigation into the Pahalgam attack has not been conducted, leaving the question of state-level complicity officially unresolved on the world stage.

In India, post-Operation Sindoor relations with Pakistan are now defined in terms of a "new normal" of what strategic thinkers describe as "unending war." The India Forum

Conclusion

One year on, the Pahalgam-Sindoor episode has reshaped South Asian geopolitics in ways neither side fully anticipated. India asserts it established a new counter-terrorism doctrine. Critics - and much of the region - are not so sure the gamble paid off.