“Justice Served”, “Payback for Pahalgam”, “Indian Forces Hit Pakistan Terror Bases”, “Sindoor Serves Justice” and “India Strikes Deep”, and Sin-Demolished.
A day after India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan, headlines in English dailies on Wednesday hailed Operation Sindoor — the country’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22.
The Hindu, The Indian Express, The Times of India, Hindustan Times and The Telegraph dedicated their front page to India’s strikes. Nearly all of them carried the map of nine terror locations struck in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The lead report in ToI, whose front page was headlined “Payback for Pahalgam”, said India had “unleashed mayhem” on four Pakistan and five PoK terror hubs of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish and Hizbul Mujahideen. The Economic Times’ top story declared that India had “avenged” spilt blood with precision military targets.
While Economic Times claimed that 70 “targets” were neutralised, The Indian Express and The Hindu, quoting the Pakistan Army, said at least 31 were killed. Other common stories on front pages were civilian deaths in Poonch, New Delhi’s optics by deploying two women Army officers, how the strikes had changed rules of engagement with Pakistan, and Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif’s vow for a resolute response.
In one of its special pages, Hindustan Times highlighted that the evocative term ‘Operation Sindoor’ was picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
‘Military success’, ‘effective establishment’
The Hindu editorial headlined “Strokes of Justice” underlined that India’s response this time was “sharper and more resolute” compared to the 2019 surgical strikes. It said the attacks may not be a long-term setback for Pakistan.
“The strikes destroyed terrorist bases, but that setback may not be long term, considering the perennial supply of radicalised youths in Pakistan. Pakistan has not only raised terrorists who target India but also harboured Osama bin Laden, the most wanted terrorist for the West, even while it was claiming to be an ally in the war on terror,” read The Hindu editorial.
It also cautioned the political leadership against communal disturbance.
“All political parties have supported the military operation. While strengthening the domestic political consensus on the issue, the Centre should also ensure that elements who try to create communal strife and play into the hands of Pakistan are restrained. Any missteps will carry a great risk.”
The Indian Express editorial emphasised on the “new message” to Pakistan.
“Operation Sindoor says unequivocally that terrorists and their camps, wherever they may be in Pakistan, are no longer off-limits for India’s military.”
On the Pahalgam attack, it said no government in the world would “tolerate an attack so brutal in nature that picked out men of one religious community and gunned them down in front of their families”. Though Indian strikes have chastened Pakistan, Rawalpindi is no pushover, the editorial read. To avoid this, the editorial wanted India to acquire an unambiguous edge over Pakistan military.
In the strikes, the message was unmistakable. “In the face of terror that seeks to kill and divide, it [India] stands united and strong, committed to ensuring that no one will get away with murder even if it means pursuing them to the ‘ends of the Earth’,” the editorial concluded, quoting PM Modi’s speech, a day after the Pahalgam attack.
“Operation Sindoor suggests clarity on the party of Delhi in inflicting pain immediately when attacked by terrorists,” read the edit.
Hindustan Times’ editorial called the response “strong and sensible and non-escaltory”. It said the Palagham attack was designed to create communal fault lines in the country, which was “soundly defeated by Hindus and Muslims across India”.
The Telegraph editorial said that the Modi government “deserves credit for steering India’s response to Pahalgam”. It called the strikes a military success. “Adding to that military success was the rare political backdrop to it: political unity in favour of action against Pakistan spanning parties across the spectrum,” read the editorial.
The Economic Times’ editorial — “Taking Out Terrorist Infrastructure, Day 1” — termed India’s response “calculated and tactical”. It praised the government for waiting for the right time to attack Pakistan. “An effective establishment, especially in de facto and de jure democratic one, is responsive to its citizenry. But a truly effective establishment is able to keep the ‘will of the people’ in abeyance when required.”
In times of misinformation, you need news you can trust. We’ve got you covered. Subscribe to Newslaundry and power our work.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.
