New Delhi, India – Could 9, 2025

Amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions following Pakistan’s drone and missile assaults on Indian cities, international safety analyst Michael Rubin, in an unique interview with NDTV, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to undertake a technique impressed by former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in combating Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Rubin’s advice comes within the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor, a precision strike on 9 terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Could 7, 2025, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror assault that killed 26 civilians. The knowledgeable highlighted Meir’s relentless pursuit of terrorists post-1972 Munich Olympics bloodbath as a mannequin for India to interrupt the cycle of Pakistan-backed terror.

Rubin’s Suggestion

Michael Rubin, a senior fellow on the American Enterprise Institute, praised India’s measured response by Operation Sindoor however cautioned that navy strikes alone can’t deter Pakistan’s use of terrorism as state coverage. He prompt Modi emulate Golda Meir’s strategy after the 1972 Munich Olympics, the place Palestinian Black September terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes. Meir approved Operation Wrath of God, a covert Mossad mission that systematically tracked and eradicated these accountable worldwide over years, demonstrating Israel’s resolve to carry terrorists accountable no matter borders. Rubin said, “India ought to think about what Golda Meir did… Israel quietly, over subsequent years, went out wherever on this planet to get rid of the terrorists.”

Rubin famous that Modi’s rhetoric echoes Meir’s dedication. Following the Pahalgam assault, Modi vowed, “India will go to the ends of the Earth to seek out terrorists and their backers and punish them past their creativeness,” a stance Rubin sees as aligned with Meir’s uncompromising pursuit. He emphasised that Pakistan’s navy and ISI have fostered teams like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy, The Resistance Entrance (TRF), which claimed the Pahalgam assault, requiring a long-term technique past kinetic strikes to disrupt their networks.

Context of the Proposal

The Pahalgam assault, described as one of many deadliest civilian assaults since Mumbai’s 26/11, focused vacationers, with attackers demanding victims show allegiance to Islam earlier than capturing them, per NDTV. India’s response, Operation Sindoor, struck terror havens in PoK and Pakistani Punjab, killing 100 terrorists, however Pakistan retaliated with drone and missile assaults on J&Okay, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat on Could 7–9, 2025. India’s S-400 defenses neutralized most threats, however the escalation underscores the delicate deterrence between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Rubin argued that Pakistan’s denials of terror hyperlinks are untenable, because the ISI’s assist for teams like LeT is well-documented. He cautioned that with out sustained strain, “terrorists regroup to strategize,” citing Israel’s October 7, 2023, Hamas assault as a consequence of cyclical lapses. India’s diplomatic measures—suspending the Indus Water Treaty, closing the Attari border, and expelling Pakistani diplomats—complement navy motion, however Rubin believes a Meir-style international hunt for terrorists might dismantle Pakistan’s proxy networks extra successfully.

Historic Parallel: Golda Meir and Israel’s Response

Golda Meir’s technique post-Munich concerned:

• Covert Operations: Mossad tracked Black September operatives throughout Europe and the Center East, eliminating key figures by focused assassinations over a decade.
• World Attain: Operations ignored worldwide borders, signaling that terrorists had “no place to cover,” as Rubin famous.
• Deterrence: The marketing campaign restored Israel’s picture as unyielding, deterring future assaults by elevating the fee for terror teams.

Meir’s strategy was rooted in her perception that terrorism required an uncompromising response, a stance Modi’s post-Pahalgam rhetoric mirrors. Israel’s historic assist for India, together with arms provides through the 1971 struggle and intelligence through the 1999 Kargil battle, additional contextualizes Rubin’s analogy, with Israel’s ambassador Reuven Azar backing India’s self-defense rights post-Pahalgam.

Challenges and Critiques

Implementing a Meir-style technique poses challenges:

• Diplomatic Fallout: Covert operations overseas threat straining India’s relations with nations internet hosting Pakistani terrorists, as seen in Israel’s tensions post-Munich operations.
• Escalation Dangers: Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and fragile deterrence, as famous in NDTV’s evaluation, complicate aggressive actions, with Rubin acknowledging international diplomacy’s position in capping escalation.
• Home Politics: Pakistan’s navy, not its weak civilian authorities, drives terror coverage, making deterrence depending on Rawalpindi’s calculus, which can resist India’s strain.
• Moral Considerations: Focused killings elevate ethical and authorized questions, although Meir justified them as essential for nationwide safety, a debate India would face.

Critics on X, like @christoferguson, argue that India’s restraint avoids broader battle, whereas supporters like @NDTVWORLD see Meir’s mannequin as a daring deterrent. Rubin praised India’s “cautious recreation” however criticized the delay between the Pahalgam assault and Operation Sindoor, urging sooner, sustained motion.

Broader Implications

Rubin’s proposal aligns with Modi’s counter-terror doctrine, evident within the 2016 surgical strikes and 2019 Balakot airstrike, which deterred main assaults till Pahalgam. India’s rejection of Pakistan’s “nuclear flashpoint” narrative, as seen within the fast launch of pilot Abhinandan in 2019, helps the feasibility of daring motion. Nonetheless, a worldwide pursuit requires enhanced intelligence, worldwide cooperation, and home assist, areas the place India has strengthened beneath Modi, per Hindustan Instances. Israel’s backing, reaffirmed by PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s name to Modi on April 24, might facilitate such a technique by shared expertise and intelligence.

Conclusion

Michael Rubin’s name for PM Modi to emulate Golda Meir’s anti-terror technique displays a perception that India should undertake a relentless, international strategy to dismantle Pakistan’s terror networks, past Operation Sindoor’s fast strikes. Whereas Modi’s resolve and India’s navy precision align with Meir’s legacy, challenges like escalation dangers and diplomatic constraints require cautious calibration. The proposal underscores India’s shift from restraint to proactive deterrence, with Israel’s historic assist reinforcing the analogy. As tensions persist, Modi’s subsequent steps might redefine India’s battle towards terrorism.