GEOGRAPHY is destiny. You can be friends or enemies, but cannot change the geography destined for the two neighbours, India and Pakistan. Today Indian scholars lament that the Congress missed the boat by not accepting the Cabinet Mission Plan. Ever since the independence of Pakistan, India has tried to undo it by all means, while blaming Pakistan for nurturing terrorism. India, often portrayed as a victim, is also described as a fountain of state terrorism, attempting to project itself as a regional and even global stabilizer among super powers. In contrast, it is argued that Pakistan established itself as a stabilizer between super powers, as noted by a former RAW chief.

India’s bellicose approach, coupled with Trump’s tariff wars and Israel–US strikes on Iran, has increased pressure on Indian policy makers and contributed to its isolation. The debacle in the eastern sector and Bangladesh moving out of India’s orbit further accentuated this isolation. Pakistan along with Turkey and Egypt emerging as instruments of negotiation to stop war has further deepened India’s frustration. Statements by India’s external leadership against Pakistan also reflect a lack of diplomatic nuance. The question arises whether India has plunged itself into a geostrategic and military trap. The answer is yes—the same trap it once laid for Pakistan.

Over the last decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has projected itself as a regional power and even a self-declared global power. Indian polity passed through phases. The ideological journey of Bharatiya Janata Party began from its roots in Hindu nationalism, while its ideological ecosystem, including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, expanded........

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