Operation Sindoor dominated proceedings in the Parliament on Tuesday. PM Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka delivered statements on the matter in the Lok Sabha. Their statements were received on social media along expected lines.
Supporters of PM Modi were mighty pleased by the manner in which he responded to criticisms. And those that are dissatisfied with the NDA Government for a variety of reasons found merits in the arguments made by opposition parties. All in all, it was a regular day at the office. Nothing was said or done that would have any significant impact on national politics in the years to come.
Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders likely believe this is the best outcome they could have hoped for given the circumstances. They are very likely correct in their assessment. However, the fallout from Operation Sindoor will worry them for the foreseeable future.
What Indians Will Most Remember About Operation Sindoor
The impact of Operation Sindoor will be studied, scrutinised, analysed and investigated for years to come. The BJP will boast about its successes, as they should. The opposition will mock them for the same, as they must. Enemies of the people will learn from their failures and invent news ways to undermine our great nation, as is their nature.
But beyond the headlines, beyond the politics, beyond the geopolitical ramifications and everything else that comes along with it, the only thing that people will remember after a few years is the most obvious and also the most significant. And that is what should and will concern Rahul Gandhi and his coterie.
The great Maya Angelou stumbled upon a profound bit of wisdom about human nature during the course of her illustrious life. Over time, that bit of wisdom has become food for the soul for lovestruck youth in the throes of hopeless romance. However, it holds true for other more pragmatic aspects of civilisation too.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
This bit of wisdom from Maya Angelou is as true for forlorn lovers reminiscing about the days gone by as it is for the cold hearted realities of politics.
By 2029 and beyond, Indians will not remember the nitty-gritty of Operation Sindoor. They will not remember the minute details that they consumed with bated breath from every source of information they could get their hands on. They will not remember any of the minutiae that seemed extremely relevant on social media at the moment. Statements from foreign dignitaries, international media and online geopolitical experts, all of it will be forgotten.
What Indians will remember is how they felt when they discovered for the first time that India had bombed terrorist camps in Pakistan. They will remember the exuberance with which they celebrated the slaughter of terrorists on Pakistani soil. The joy, the elation, the exhilaration, they will remember all of it.
What Indians will remember most of all is their thirst for vengeance, their righteous bloodlust, that they were begging for Yama’s wrath to be showered upon Pakistan. And they will remember the man who delivered justice upon those that seek to do them harm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Blood That We Spill
One of the darker aspects of human nature is the pleasure that we derive from the misery of others. Philosophers, scholars, preachers, wise men throughout the ages have long known this to be true. Consequently, they have counselled lesser mortals to maintain this base desire under control, lest it have devastating consequences.
Human Society, however, recognises that under special circumstances, revelry at the expense of others is tolerable, if not altogether justifiable. Indeed, who could begrudge Jews for celebrating the annihilation of the Nazis? Who could begrudge the colonised from rejoicing over the decimation of colonial powers? Who could begrudge a rape victim for making merry over the castration of the monster that robbed her of her dignity?
No one could and no one should. Their exaltation is entirely justifiable, even if it is at the cost of blood that has been spilt. However, quite often enough, people go too far, far too far, in their urge to satiate their lust for vengeance. And they eventually come to regret it. Take, for example, the developments in USA.
The Great American Tragedy
Americans were baying for blood after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. And they were justified in their outrage. When George Bush destroyed the Taliban in Afghanistan, incurring significant civilian casualties in the process, Americans did not care. The Afghans deserved it, they told themselves.
When George Bush wrecked Iraq for good measure, the American lust for vengeance was still not satisfied. The Iraqis deserved it, they told themselves. They paid no attention to the increasing civilian death toll.
It was only after the Abu Ghraib scandal broke out in April 2004 that Americans had to reckon with the horror they had unleashed. Of course, the embarrassment was not widespread, because George Bush won the presidential elections that year by a far greater margin than in 2000.
It was only in 2008, by the time his second term was over, that Americans truly recognised George Bush for the monster that he is. It was far too late by then. While Bush has not really suffered any consequences for his actions, neither did Barack Obama or anyone else who has established the grand American tradition of directly or indirectly killing Muslim civilians, it has left a great scar on the national psyche.
It has become commonplace for Americans to admit that the USA is the most terrible terrorist in the national scene. During the most recent confrontation involving Iran, vast sections of the country were terrified that Donald Trump will repeat the mistakes of the past. Americans, and the world at large, heaved a sigh of relief when he did not. And he deserves his due credit for it.
The Fate That India Avoided
Journalists, experts and social media intellectuals do not realise how close India was to repeating the American Tragedy. The brutality of the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack demanded a brutal response. Indians were entirely justified in baying for blood. But it carried the grave risk that India will find itself dealing with a great many unintended consequences. Consequences that Indians have no appetite for.
Thus, Narendra Modi found himself in a situation where he had to deliver vengeance. But he had to do so in a manner that was self-contained. He had to satiate the bloodlust of outraged Indian citizens. At the same time, he had to save them from their worst tendencies. And he managed to thread the needle with the precision of Arjuna.
![A forlorn Pakistani watches the ruins of the LeT headquarter in Muridke during Operation Sindoor [Source: NYT]](https://i0.wp.com/forpolindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pak.jpeg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
When Indians look back at Operation Sindoor, they will only have successes to remember, victories to cherish. Their bloodlust has been satiated, in the most glorious way of imaginable. The Pakistani establishment was shivering in fear. Their air bases were obliterated in broad daylight. Terrorist hideouts were annihilated in plain sight. And we had Pakistanis themselves broadcasting to the world that India had pulverised them.
It was a success through and through with none of the baggage that comes along with prolonged conflict. I am not saying that India should avoid a prolonged conflict with Pakistan in the future at all costs. I am not peacenik. An existential conflict against Pakistan in the near future is unavoidable. What I am saying is, at this point in the Great Indian Growth Story, a prolonged conflict would not have been the most desirable outcome.
I also believe that the greatest success of Operation Sindoor is that it has whipped up India’s appetite for war. And everything that accompanies large scale violence.
Why Rahul Gandhi and the Congress will worry about Operation Sindoor Fallout
Narendra Modi satiated a core desire of every human alive: to watch enemies suffer. He has managed to do so without any accompanying baggage. When 2029 Lok Sabha Elections are near, people will remember this. People will remember that Narendra Modi avenged the death of Hindus. He did so in full view of the world.
Rahul Gandhi has nothing in its arsenal to counter that sentiment. It’s not for a lack of opportunities. The heavens know Pakistan gave them ample chances to notch a few hits in the scoreboard. The Congress just did not take it. Due to their cowardice, they allowed the enemy of the people to spill blood on the streets with impunity.
That is what people will remember in 2029. How Rahul Gandhi and his coterie made them feel helpless, victimised. And they will contrast it with the manner in which PM Modi emboldened them. The task has been really set out for the BJP’s social media department. ‘Do not let Indians forget how they felt during Operation Sindoor.’
Of course, the task is set out for INC’s social media department as well. ‘Do everything in your power to draw attention away from the success of Operation Sindoor’. Because, really, there is nothing the INC can say or do to alter people’s feelings about it. It’s difficult to change people’s opinions as it is but it can still be done. But to convince them that did not really feel what they obviously did? Impossible.
Four years is a long time and that is just about the only thing that INC has going on for itself. We can expect them to rely on the formulas that they believe works for them. Weaponising caste animosity, middle class anguish over quality of life and people’s tendency to gravitate towards will be their path forward.
