In the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir stands once again at a critical inflection point. This act of brutal violence, followed by Operation Sindoor, India’s swift and precise counter-terror response, underscores both the volatility of the security environment and the resilience of India’s institutions. The grief is profound, the outrage justified, and the strategic questions pressing. This was not merely a barbaric act of terrorism, or a breach of security. It was an assault on the very idea of a peaceful, plural, and open Kashmir.

Yet what is equally important — and encouraging — is the response of ordinary Kashmiris: unequivocal, compassionate, and resolute in their rejection of violence. Unlike in earlier decades, there has been no ambiguity, no ambivalence, and no doubt about where the Kashmiris stand.

We are, therefore, at a threshold moment. The tragedy of Pahalgam cannot be forgotten. Nor can it be allowed to derail the possibility of transformation. The rejection of violence by ordinary Kashmiris must become the moral centre of our policy. We must act with the imagination of the Sufi, the clarity of the strategist, and the resolve of the constitutionalist.

The Kashmir story must move from one of endless conflict management to purposeful nation-building. This requires balancing firmness with fairness, memory with vision, and security with empathy.

A new Kashmir is not a dream deferred. It is a national duty, and it must begin now.

In that spirit, here are eight strategic steps — rooted in realism but animated by the vision of a new Kashmir — that India must take.

Punish Pakistan with precision and patience:........

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