NEW DELHI – On Tuesday, India’s Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, along withofficials of Ministry of External Affairs, met with and engaged envoys andheads of missions of all major countries and regional blocs to brief themof the action that was carried out by India.

Parallel briefings were held for various envoys by the foreign secretaryand divisional secretaries where the thrust was on a few specific points.Diplomatic sources quoted Gokhale as saying, “India did not have an option”.

Foreign Secretary Gokhale held a media briefing on India’s military action,where he said, “Credible intelligence was received that Jaish-e-Mohammedwas attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of thecountry and the fidayeen jihadis were being trained for this purpose. Inthe face of imminent danger, a preemptive strike became absolutelynecessary.”

This is “unprecedented” said an official, calling it a “paradigm shift” inIndia’s policy on Pakistan.

Comparing it to the US operation to kill Osama bin Laden, an officialexplained, “The paradigm shift is in the way India deals with terrorism.

Not in Kargil or even during the 1971 war did India cross into Pakistaniterritory. This is comparable only to US’s operation to take out Osama binLaden.”

India also made it clear that the attack was a preemptive, non-militarystrike targeting militants and not civilians or the State of Pakistan.

“This is not against the people of Pakistan but against terrorism,” asource quoted Gokhale briefing the envoys. India also made it very clear atthe briefing with diplomats that they are not looking at war, they wantcordial ties with Pakistan but terrorism needs to be addressed and ended.

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