INDIA’S global image as the “largest democracy” is increasingly at odds with its covert operations abroad.
From its destabilizing role in Pakistan to its alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings in the West, a pattern of state-sponsored terrorism is becoming too dangerous to ignore.
Most recently, Canada took the profoundly unprecedented step of openly accusing India of orchestrating the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the Parliament that credible intelligence linked Indian agents to the brutal killing.
The utterly shocking incident triggered global shockwaves and led to diplomatic expulsions, including Canada’s intelligence chief from New Delhi.
This isn’t an isolated incident—it is part of a perturbing trend.
Pakistan has, for years, accused India of inciting unrest in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan, through its intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).
In 2016, Pakistan captured an Indian naval officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav, who blatantly confessed to organizing terror activities in Pakistan.
Multiple dossiers, backed by intelligence and evidence, have been submitted by Islamabad to the United Nations (UN) and other world bodies outlining India’s role in cross-border terrorism.
Further, India’s involvement in Sri Lanka during the 1980s, where it trained and armed Tamil militants, and its intelligence operations in Nepal and Bangladesh, have also raised serious concerns.
The scope of India’s clandestine actions reveal a systematic pattern—not isolated rogue operations but state-backed terrorism.
Despite these serious allegations levelled against India, not only by Pakistan but also by other countries, the international community has always hesitated to officially label India a terrorist state.
The reasons are mostly geopolitical.
Undeniably, India’s economic clout and strategic position have afforded it impunity.
However, the evidence continues to mount, and voices continue to rise globally.
It is time for the international community to stop turning a blind eye to this grave issue.
Countries like Canada have taken a bold step in acknowledging the reality.
Others must follow.
Double standards cannot and must not be allowed when it comes to dealing with the critical issue of terrorism.
The global war on terror must be consistent.
Whether it is carried out by non-state actors or by states hiding behind the mask of democracy, terrorism in all its manifestations must be condemned outright and confronted with equal determination.
—The writer is a columnist and analyst based in Islamabad -Pakistan. ([email protected])
