Deplorable. Myopic. Reeking of jingoism. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shredded the international law, causing irrevocable damage to hopes for a peaceful neighbourhood, with his ill-thought-of and highly suggestive remarks in the wake of news reports on his country’s involvement in alleged assassinations in Pakistan. Instead of shying away from the accusations or whipping up some excuses about inquiry committees as in the past, Modi’s administration officially acknowledged its covert operations on foreign soil. Although Mr Singh must have had his eyes on the upcoming prize (Modi is running for a third term as prime minister in elections that will begin in two weeks), it would not take long for his words to come back to haunt him and his party. With a denunciation of these “hyper-nationalist sentiments, Pakistan is already working on a befitting line of action that would use the support of the global community to hold New Delhi accountable for its heinous and illegal actions. It takes an extraordinary sense of impunity to empower a country and its administration to disregard the diplomatic norms and bluntly accept its extra-judicious aggressions. A lot of what is being said during the campaign makes sense as desperation for electoral gains. Every election year, Indian politicians bank on hateful rhetoric to guarantee their reign. Back in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s excessive use of Pakistan in poll speeches raised many an eyebrow, especially because he had originally come to power raising slogans against poverty and unemployment. Nevertheless, it would do well for him and his prejudiced brigade to remember that no sovereign country can allow such provocative remarks let alone the propensity to underestimate its ability to defend itself. Relations with Canada are still tense in the wake of accusations of India’s involvement in the assassination of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Its influence in the West might have fooled India into thinking that it would now get away with everything, but no matter how economically developed, the international order cannot allow its long tendrils of right-wing authoritarianism to spread across the map. *