The Guardian view on India and Pakistan: a newly dangerous moment in an old dispute | Editorial
GuardianMAY 9
US Offers to Mediate as India, Pakistan Exchange Strikes
Above: Civilians tend to their injuries following Pakistani shelling in India's Baramulla district. Image copyright: Nasir Kachroo/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-India narrative
India's kinetic strikes against terror hubs in Pakistan represent not merely retribution, but the long-overdue restoration of conventional deterrence. By targeting the Pakistani deep state's terror infrastructure while avoiding military escalation, India has rightfully asserted its sovereignty and signaled that cross-border terrorism — acts of war by any measure — will no longer be tolerated with impunity.
Pro-Pakistan narrative
Operation Sindoor stands as a shameful display of hegemonic aggression, resulting in civilian casualties and infrastructure destruction across Pakistan. This reckless misadventure, alongside India's covert proxy warfare in Balochistan and suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, exposes New Delhi's treacherous designs with superior conventional defense capabilities. The world must hold India accountable.
Narrative C
The perilous dance between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan threatens catastrophic consequences beyond their borders. With Modi's Hindu nationalist strongman image at stake and Pakistan's military facing domestic discontent, neither can afford misjudgment. This combustible environment, lacking credible mediators and fueled by historical grievances over Kashmir, demands restraint before miscalculation ignites an inferno that consumes the region.