NEW DELHI: A report released on Wednesday by NatStrat, a Delhi-based strategic affairs think tank, claims that
Pakistan has used terrorism as a state instrument against India since 1947, with cross-border operations evolving through five distinct phases over nearly eight decades. The release coincided with the 17th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
The study, titled ‘Chronology of Pakistani Terror Attacks on India: 1947–2025’, says records since Independence indicate a “consistent strategy” by Pakistan’s military and intelligence establishment, particularly the inter-services intelligence (ISI), to deploy terrorism as part of its policy framework.
"The history of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism against India needs to be told and retold," the NatStrat compilation states.
Five phases of cross-border terror: 1947–2025
The report categorises the trajectory of Pakistan-origin terrorism into five periods - foundational conflicts (1947–71), the rise of proxy warfare (1972–89), escalation and urban attacks (1990–2000), targeting national symbols (2001–09), and adaptive terrorism with hardened Indian responses (2010–25).
Phase I (1947–1971): Foundational conflicts
The period begins with the Poonch uprising and the tribal invasion of Jammu & Kashmir in 1947–48, followed by Operation Gibraltar (1965) and Operation Chengiz KhanPakistan’s pre-emptive strike in 1971. India’s counteroffensive culminated in the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani troops and the creation of Bangladesh.
Phase II (1972–1989): Proxy warfare
The report recounts plane hijackings, targeted killings - including the 1984 murder of diplomat Ravindera Mhatre - and ISI backing the Khalistan movement. The hijackings of Indian Airlines flights in 1971 and 1984 are cited as early examples of Pakistan’s covert strategy.
Phase III (1990–2000): Urban terror expands
Pakistan-backed groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), escalated militancy in J&K through the K2 project. Major urban attacks included the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast, 1998 Coimbatore bombings, the 1999 Kargil intrusion, and the IC-814 hijacking.
Phase IV (2001–2009): National symbols targeted
Key attacks in this era include the 2001 Parliament attack, 2002 Akshardham temple assault, the 2005 Delhi blasts, 2006 Mumbai train bombings, and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 and brought India-Pakistan ties to a breaking point.
Phase V (2010–2025): Adaptive terrorism and stronger Indian response
The report tracks attacks like the 2010 German Bakery blast, 2016 Pathankot and Uri attacks, and 2019 Pulwama bombing. It also lists recent incidents, including the 2025 Pahalgam attack, claimed by ‘The Resistance Front,’ and India’s retaliatory
Operation Sindoor, which defence minister Rajnath Singh described as treating “any attack on Indian soil as an act of war.”
India’s resilience
The report stresses that cross-border terror has not deterred India’s progress. "They have not stopped India's march as a nation. Instead, Indian society and polity have pushed back attempts to divide the country or slow down its progress," it notes.
Calling terrorism an affront to humanity, the report says state-backed terrorism poses a grave threat to global stability.
"It is a scourge that affects the whole world and must be fought unitedly, without reservation or double standards."
NatStrat is convened by Pankaj Saran, a former diplomat with four decades of experience, who has served in the prime minister’s office, national security council secretariat, and as India’s envoy to Russia and Bangladesh. He also served as deputy national security adviser.
The compilation is dedicated to victims of terrorism and those who have fought against it, offering a detailed account of what it calls Pakistan’s “decades-long hybrid warfare” and India’s evolving response.
(With inputs from agencies)
Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search
Start a Conversation
Post comment