Every true quest is a journey inward—to understand, analyze, and confront the limits and strengths of one’s own nationhood and strategic direction. For modern India, that quest has gone astray. Knowledge and faith, often seen as opposites, are in reality two sides of the same coin. But under the Modi regime, ideology has replaced inquiry, and faith has been weaponized into political dogma.
The carefully constructed de-hyphenation of India and Pakistan—once a cornerstone of post-Cold War strategic balance—has been reversed through the reckless and vague adventurism of New Delhi post-2014. To understand this regression, one must begin with an honest appraisal of India itself.
India’s Diversity and Aspirations Hijacked by Ideology
India, a land known for its cultural richness, civilizational depth, and historical commitment to non-alignment, has in recent years pursued an aggressive foreign policy agenda underpinned by Hindutva—an exclusionary ideology fostered by the RSS and its affiliated Hindu nationalist factions. This shift marks a clear deviation from the pragmatic internationalism of Nehru and Indira Gandhi, whose global stature was rooted in diplomatic wisdom, not military might.
Today, however, India’s global aspirations are increasingly dictated by the Hindutva worldview. The ambition to emerge as a global power is no longer driven by policy logic, but by ideological zeal.
The Pehalgam False-Flag and the Pulwama Precedent
The Pehalgam incident—a botched false-flag operation falsely attributed to Pakistan—mirrors the Pulwama attack of 2019. In that case, India immediately blamed Pakistan without evidence, triggering military retaliation in the form of the Balakot airstrike. Independent reports, including satellite imagery and field assessments, revealed that India hit trees and a seminary wall, not terrorist infrastructure.
Pakistan’s response—Operation Swift Retort—exposed India’s vulnerabilities. The downing and capture of Wing Commander Abhinandan, and the failed narrative of shooting down a Pakistani F-16 (debunked by U.S. defense officials), shattered India’s image of invincibility. The Pehalgam incident appears to follow the same template: emotional escalation, premature blame, and no evidence.
Hindutva’s Doctrine of Equivocation
At the heart of this adventurism lies the practice of equivocation—using ambiguous or misleading language to hide true intentions. This strategy is central to Hindutva’s international communications: projecting peace abroad while inciting hate domestically.
While Modi speaks of “unity” at Madison Square Garden and on foreign tours, BJP leaders at home fuel communal tensions. The RSS ecosystem sustains a dual narrative: Hindutva as a peaceful civilizational ethos for Western audiences, and as a militant force domestically. The Diaspora Hindutva community plays a critical role—spreading disinformation, funding hate campaigns, and silencing dissent in countries like Canada, the UK, and the U.S.
The assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, allegedly by Indian agents, exposed this duality. Prime Minister Trudeau publicly blamed India, leading to the collapse of diplomatic relations—a stark example of Hindutva’s global overreach backfiring.
From Strategic Non-Alignment to Strategic Isolation
India’s earlier foreign policy was defined by strategic balance. Nehru’s leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement and Indira Gandhi’s calculated decision-making during the 1971 war earned India international respect. In contrast, Modi’s policy has led to alienation across the region:
• Nepal rebuked India over border map changes in 2020.
• Bangladesh criticized the CAA and NRC, viewing them as communal laws.
• Sri Lanka and Maldives have tilted toward China due to New Delhi’s arrogance.
• The OIC has repeatedly condemned India’s policies in Kashmir.
• Pakistan successfully internationalized the Kashmir issue post-Article 370 abrogation.
Even Western allies have grown wary. The U.S. has flagged India for religious persecution (USCIRF reports), and the EU DisinfoLab exposed a network of 750+ fake media outlets spreading anti-Pakistan and anti-Kashmir propaganda on India’s behalf.
Economic Costs of Adventurism
The strategic cost of Hindutva-driven adventurism extends to India’s economy. After the CAA riots, Article 370 abrogation, and farmer protests, Moody’s and Fitch raised concerns over social instability. India lost its GSP status with the U.S., and foreign direct investment stagnated due to deteriorating internal harmony and press freedom.
India’s ranking on the World Press Freedom Index has plummeted under Modi, with censorship of global outlets like the BBC following its documentary on the Gujarat riots. Domestically, investigative journalism is under attack, undermining institutional credibility.
Pakistan’s Strategic Poise and the Hindutva Blind Spot
India’s obsession with Pakistan, driven by Hindutva chauvinism, has led to repeated miscalculations. From Pulwama to Pehalgam, every attempt to corner Pakistan has backfired. The May 6th and 7th Indian aggression across the LoC and the subsequent Pakistani retaliation inflicted significant military and economic damage, dismantling India’s hope of regional dominance.
Rather than acknowledging Pakistan’s deterrent capability and diplomatic maturity, India continues to underestimate its neighbor—blinded by ideological intoxication. This persistent denial reflects the deeper malaise of Hindutva utopianism: the belief that narrative control can substitute for battlefield or diplomatic outcomes.
Conclusion
The Modi regime’s dream of a “Greater India” built on the rubble of Nehruvian realism and regional cooperation is collapsing under the weight of its own delusions. Hindutva-driven foreign policy has led not to greatness, but to global embarrassment, regional isolation, and domestic unrest.
The Pehalgam false-flag, like Pulwama before it, is not just a security failure—it is a strategic indictment of a state that has replaced strategy with spectacle, and reality with rhetoric.
India under Modi needs to seriously reflect on its own actions, policies, and ideological direction—especially the consequences of its Hindutva-driven foreign policy.
