Team TrickyScribe: In a significant development following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, Pakistan returned Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw on May 14, 2025, succumbing to intense military and diplomatic pressure from India.
The release came on the heels of Operation Sindoor, a decisive Indian military operation that dismantled terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), exposing the fragility of Pakistan’s military defenses.
As Indian civilians celebrated the valor of the armed forces through nationwide Tiranga Yatras, India’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) canceled its academic agreement with Türkiye’s Inonu University, citing national security concerns over Türkiye’s military support to Pakistan.
Indian businesses, equally incensed by Türkiye’s actions, severed trade ties with the NATO ally, marking a sharp escalation in India’s response to foreign interference in the conflict.
Pakistan’s Military Crumbles Under Indian Onslaught
Release of BSF Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw, captured by Pakistan Rangers on April 23, 2025, occurred at 10:30 AM at the Attari-Wagah border, a direct result of India’s relentless military and diplomatic offensive.
Launched on May 6-7, 2025, Operation Sindoor targeted nine terrorist sites, including strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Bahawalpur and Muridke, eliminating over 100 terrorists, including high-value target Yusuf Azhar, a key figure in the 1999 IC-814 hijacking.
The operation showcased India’s military superiority, with the Indian Navy’s carrier battle group confining Pakistan’s naval forces to their harbors and the Indian Air Force deploying SCALP cruise missiles while neutralizing Pakistani drones and missiles with S-400 defense systems.
Pakistan’s military suffered significant losses, with reports indicating 35-40 personnel killed in cross-border exchanges between May 7-10, compared to India’s loss of five soldiers. The destruction of key airbases and terrorist infrastructure, coupled with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refusal to bow to “nuclear blackmail,” forced Pakistan into a defensive stance.
Social media posts on X highlighted public sentiment, with users asserting that Pakistan’s decision to release Shaw stemmed from India’s global political clout and military dominance.
Tiranga Yatras: A Nation Rallies Behind Its Forces
Success of Operation Sindoor ignited a wave of patriotism across India, with civilians organizing Tiranga Yatras in cities like Ahmedabad, Porvorim, and Srinagar to honor the armed forces’ swift response to the Pahalgam massacre, which claimed 26 civilian lives, mostly tourists.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel joined a rally in Ahmedabad, while Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant participated in Porvorim, emphasizing that the operation targeted terrorism, not any nation or religion.
In Patna, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary led Tiranga Yatra as he lauded valour of Indian armed forces. In Srinagar, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch led a Bharat Yatra at Lal Chowk, celebrating India’s unity and military strength.
These marches, marked by giant tricolor flags and anti-terrorism slogans, reflected public outrage over the Pahalgam attack, where gunmen targeted families and newlyweds in a picturesque Kashmiri valley.
The operation’s codename, “Sindoor,” symbolizing the vermillion mark of married Hindu women, resonated deeply, as many victims were young couples. Families like that of Rajesh Narwal, father of a slain Navy officer, lauded the government for its resolute action.
JNU Suspends Academic Ties with Türkiye
Adding to the growing backlash against Türkiye’s support for Pakistan, India’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) announced the suspension of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Inonu University, Türkiye, on May 13, 2025. In a statement, JNU cited national security concerns, stating: “Due to National Security considerations, the MoU between JNU and Inonu University, Türkiye stands suspended until further notice. JNU stands with the Nation.”
The decision followed revelations that Türkiye had supplied Pakistan with defense equipment, including drones, used in attempted retaliatory strikes on Indian border areas like Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot.
India’s successful interception of these drones, leveraging lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, underscored Pakistan’s military inadequacies and amplified criticism of Türkiye’s role.
JNU’s move sent a strong signal of India’s unified stance against nations supporting Pakistan’s terror ecosystem, aligning academic institutions with the broader national response.
Indian Businesses Bid Adieu to Türkiye
Indian businesses, equally outraged by Türkiye’s cash and military aid to Pakistan post-Pahalgam, moved swiftly to sever trade ties with the NATO ally. Trade guilds, including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association, issued statements condemning Türkiye’s “distasteful choices” in backing Pakistan’s military-terror nexus. The CII, on May 9, 2025, hailed Operation Sindoor as a testament to India’s resolve and called for a reevaluation semiformal of economic relations with nations abetting terrorism.
The use of Turkish-supplied drones by Pakistan drew particular ire, prompting trade guilds in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar and Connaught Place to announce a boycott of Turkish goods.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) also cracked down on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart for listing walkie-talkie devices suspected to be of Turkish origin, citing security risks.
Analysts predict a significant decline in India-Türkiye trade, previously worth billions annually, as public and corporate sentiment aligns against Türkiye’s actions.
A New Normal in India-Pakistan Relations
Operation Sindoor not only avenged the Pahalgam massacre but also redefined India’s anti-terror policy. In a televised address on May 13, 2025, Prime Minister Modi declared that India would no longer distinguish between terrorists and their state sponsors, signaling a doctrine of uncompromising retaliation.
Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the closure of the Attari-Wagah border underscored India’s hardline stance, with Modi noting that Pakistan had “contacted us in desperation” after being “soundly beaten.”
International community, including the United States, called for de-escalation, with President Donald Trump claiming credit for brokering a ceasefire on May 10, 2025.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs, however, clarified that the truce was contingent on Pakistan’s commitment to end cross-border terrorism.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized that India’s actions were a measured response to the Pahalgam attack, initially claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, before a retraction under pressure from Pakistani handlers.
The Way Ahead!
Return of BSF Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw marks a triumph of India’s military and diplomatic resolve, forcing Pakistan to capitulate under pressure. The Tiranga Yatras reflect a nation united in its fight against terrorism, while JNU’s suspension of ties with Inonu University and the boycott of Turkish goods by Indian businesses signal a broader geopolitical shift.
Operation Sindoor has not only avenged the Pahalgam massacre but also established a “new normal” of decisive action, sending an unequivocal message: attacks on India will face unrelenting consequences. As India consolidates its stance, the fallout with Türkiye and the humbling of Pakistan’s military underscore the high stakes in this volatile region.
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