Operation Sindoor: Unmasking America’s Double Standard

Terrorist attack in Pahalgam in the last month on April 22 somewhat compelled India to launch Operation Sindoor after two weeks of deep procrastination. During these two weeks, India not only tried to ensure a well-planned preparation to yield decisive results in a short time without escalating the conflict but also tried to reach out to as many countries as possible to galvanise opinion against Pakistan's prolonged sponsorship of terrorism on Indian soil as part of its well-thought-out state policy.

Since April 22, India's Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar briefed envoys of one country after another, including China, as part of its diplomatic endeavour to corner Pakistan. However, these efforts did not resonate well with many of the countries from which India had expected at least moral support—if not material.

By the time Operation Sindoor was launched, the Indian leadership perhaps realised that its diplomatic outreach had failed to sway many influential countries who generally claim to be the custodians of human rights, freedom, and democratic values. Their response was lukewarm, despite their usual rigid stance against terrorism when their own interests are at stake.

Apart from Russia, a long-tested friend of India, and Israel, a long-time victim of Islamic terrorism, few were ready to draw a clear line between the victim and the perpetrator of terrorism in this conflict. Some countries pretended neutrality, some sympathised with the victims of the Pahalgam attack without touching upon Pakistan’s role in it, a few offered mediation, a few advised India to de-escalate for the sake of peace in the region, while there were still a few others who went on to support Pakistan openly. These include nations such as Turkiye, China, and Azerbaijan.

Amidst such lack of consensus and clarity in the international community on the issue of terrorism, one country stands out prominently. This is the United States of America, the self-proclaimed champion of democracy, human rights, and justice. The world knows of the double standards of the United States when it comes to the question of countering terrorism. But thanks to President Trump and his characteristic showmanship that exposed America’s double standards without any ambiguity during ‘Operation Sindoor’.

The US President first called the Indo-Pak conflict ‘a shame’ and then revealed a striking sense of ignorance of historical understanding by calling the Indo-Pak rivalry a thousand-year-old phenomenon. Soon after, the US position shifted when Vice-President JD Vance called the Indo-Pak conflict none of America’s concern.

However, within 48 hours from that, the US position seemed to have changed yet again when the US President himself declared a ceasefire in such a volatile conflict, in his own terms, ‘thousand years old conflict’, on X.

The United States’ soft corner for a rogue terror state was clearly exposed when President Trump announced the ceasefire in the most unprofessional manner, in utter disregard of India’s concerns, and with an implicit message to give a clean chit to Pakistan, to which he could become successful to a great extent.

Had the Trump administration acted differently and the President chosen his words cautiously, Pakistan would not have dared to continue high-pitch rhetoric and issue veiled threats against disrupting the ‘Indus Water Treaty’.

The crux of the matter is that powerful countries like the United States or China often remain indifferent to global threats unless their own interests are directly affected. They tend to speak selectively depending on their own interest in maintaining the status quo.

India must carefully consider its approach and tread the path of friendship with the United States, especially with Trump as President.

(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)