A groundbreaking report released by Delhi-based strategic affairs think tank NatStrat has exposed Pakistan's systematic use of terrorism as a state instrument against India since 1947. The comprehensive study, unveiled on the 17th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, traces the evolution of cross-border operations through five distinct phases spanning nearly eight decades.
Five Phases of Pakistan-Sponsored Terrorism
The report titled 'Chronology of Pakistani Terror Attacks on India: 1947–2025' documents what it describes as a consistent strategy by Pakistan's military and intelligence establishment, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to deploy terrorism as part of its official policy framework. The study emphasizes that the history of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism against India needs to be repeatedly told to understand its persistent nature.
Phase I: Foundational Conflicts (1947-1971)
The initial phase began with the Poonch uprising and tribal invasion of Jammu & Kashmir in 1947-48, marking Pakistan's early attempts to destabilize India. This period included Operation Gibraltar in 1965 and Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's pre-emptive strike in 1971. India's decisive counteroffensive during this era culminated in the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani troops and the creation of Bangladesh.
Phase II: Proxy Warfare Emerges (1972-1989)
This era witnessed the emergence of sophisticated proxy warfare tactics. The report documents multiple plane hijackings, including Indian Airlines flights in 1971 and 1984, and targeted killings such as the 1984 murder of diplomat Ravindera Mhatre. During this period, the ISI began actively backing the Khalistan movement, establishing patterns of covert operations that would define future strategies.
Phase III: Urban Terror Expands (1990-2000)
Pakistan-backed groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) escalated militancy in Jammu & Kashmir through the K2 project. Major urban attacks during this phase included the devastating 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast, 1998 Coimbatore bombings, the 1999 Kargil intrusion, and the IC-814 hijacking that tested India's counter-terrorism capabilities.
Phase IV: Targeting National Symbols (2001-2009)
This period marked a dangerous escalation with attacks directly targeting India's national symbols and institutions. Key incidents included the 2001 Parliament attack, 2002 Akshardham temple assault, 2005 Delhi blasts, 2006 Mumbai train bombings, and the horrific 26/11 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people and brought India-Pakistan relations to a breaking point.
Phase V: Adaptive Terrorism and Stronger Indian Response (2010-2025)
The current phase demonstrates Pakistan's adaptation to changing global counter-terrorism measures while India has developed more robust responses. The report tracks attacks like the 2010 German Bakery blast, 2016 Pathankot and Uri attacks, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing. Recent incidents include the 2025 Pahalgam attack claimed by 'The Resistance Front.' India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor, described by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as treating any attack on Indian soil as an act of war, represents the nation's hardened stance.
India's Resilience Against Terrorism
The NatStrat report stresses that despite decades of cross-border terror, Pakistan's tactics have failed to deter India's progress. The study notes that Indian society and polity have successfully pushed back attempts to divide the country or slow down its development. The compilation characterizes terrorism as an affront to humanity and warns that state-backed terrorism poses a grave threat to global stability.
The report concludes with a powerful message: "It is a scourge that affects the whole world and must be fought unitedly, without reservation or double standards." The study 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, bringing significant credibility to its findings.
Dedicated to the victims of terrorism and those who have fought against it, the NatStrat compilation offers a detailed account of what it describes as Pakistan's decades-long hybrid warfare and India's evolving, determined response to these security challenges.
