When US Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in India for a four-day visit, the strategic goals were clear: deepen US-India ties, strengthen defense cooperation, and finalize a framework for ambitious trade talks. Yet, events took a dramatic turn when a devastating terrorist attack struck Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, killing 26 civilians. The attack, carried out during Vance’s trip, served as a sobering reminder of the persistent threat of Islamist terrorism in South Asia-and of the delicate geopolitics the United States must navigate between two nuclear-armed neighbors.

The Indian government reacted swiftly and firmly. On May 1, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced that he had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the attack. Jaishankar emphasized that the “perpetrators, backers, and planners” of the massacre must be “brought to justice,” signaling India’s intent to hold those responsible to account. Meanwhile, US officials, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Vance, the Secretary of State, and even the FBI director, strongly condemned the attack, underscoring the bipartisan US support for India’s right to self-defense.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wasted no time in responding. Chairing a cabinet meeting on April 30, he granted the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force complete operational freedom to determine the timing, targets, and mode of India’s response. This mirrors India’s approach after the 2019 Pulwama attack, when Indian forces launched an airstrike on a terrorist camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan.

Although Washington stated it was in contact with both India and Pakistan and urged restraint, President Trump’s decision to largely leave the matter in India’s hands signals a continuation of his 2019 policy: recognizing India’s right to act decisively against cross-border........

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