‘India is alone…’: Security analyst says not one big power showed unequivocal support post Op Sindoor

National security analyst, Nitin A Gokhale, said India has found itself alone, in war, in diplomacy, and in setting narratives, post the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Gokhale said that there is only one way forward – India has to become a strong economic and military power. 

Gokhale pointed out that none of the big super powers, including the US, Russia or the QUAD nations that include Australia and Japan, apart from India and the US, showed unequivocal support. He said nations have no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests. 

“Post Pahalgam and Op Sindoor, it is clear – if proof was needed – India is alone. In war, in diplomacy, in setting narratives. Not one big power stood unequivocally with India. Not Russia. Not the US. No Quad member. The way forward is to be a strong economic and military power. Everything else will follow. The old adage, nations have no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests, was true earlier, is more appropriate now. India’s inevitable rise will be resented by friends and foes alike,” he said. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack, and condemned the brutal killings of 26 civilians, mostly holidayers. He emphasised that the perpetrators of the attack must be brought to justice. However, there were no statements or show of support towards India after Pakistan attacked India with drones and missiles. 

Similarly, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also spoke to PM Modi after the Pahalgam attack. He offered his condolences for the “senseless violence which has shocked the world”. Albanese reiterated that the perpetrators must be held accountable, as he emphasised that India and Australia are “great friends”. Australia too did not show support after the conflict with Pakistan. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had also reached out to PM Modi to express his “great shock and anger” at the Pahalgam attack. Ishiba also said Japan is committed to combating terrorism along with India. Japan too did not condemn the Pakistani attack on India. 

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, who announced the ceasefire between India and Pakistan following the conflict, took credit for brokering peace and preventing further casualties. Trump said the US is going to do a lot of trade with both countries. Reports suggest that Trump used the trade threat to halt India’s military action. However, India has maintained that trades did not feature in the talks preceding the ceasefire, and no third party was involved in the mediation talks. Nevertheless, before Trump intervened, the US had said the India-Pakistan conflict was not its business. 

Amid growing analysis by experts that Trump’s recent statements and actions are effectively bombing the carefully crafted relations between India and the US, and waning the Indian public’s trust in the US as a reliable partner, Trump tempered his assertions. "I don't want to say I did, but I sure as hell helped settle the problem between Pakistan and India last week, which was getting more and more hostile, and all of a sudden, you’ll start seeing missiles of a different type, and we got it settled,” Trump said.