New Delhi reportedly is considering several military and diplomatic options to ‘isolate’ Islamabad. This comes after a suicide attack in Pulwama last week which killed some 44 members of the Indian security forces. However, this war-mongering will have ramifications for the region’s stability. Kashmir has been burning for decades and the new generation’s hatred for the Indian Army had taken its toll given the widespread gross human rights abuses. The suicide bomber, Adil Ahmed Dar, was a 19-year-old local Kashmiri youth who used some 100 to 150kgs of RDX. His family claimed that he joined militancy after being meted out with ill-treatment at the hands of Indian forces in 2016. This explains the widely documented trauma Kashmiris go through in their own homeland. Undoubtedly, the attack was heinous and condemnable, but the Indian state must introspect as to how its security policies are leading to radicalisation? The banned outfit Jaish e Muhammad claimed responsibility for the attack but blaming Pakistan without investigation is at best a deflection from the core issue, i.e. the much-delayed settlement of Kashmir issue. Lt General (retd) DS Hooda, the former senior commander of the Indian Army, stated that such a large cache of explosives could not have come from across the border. With local abettors and facilitators, New Delhi needs to revisit all that has been happening in Indian held Kashmir for decades. Rescinding the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) status for Islamabad was a knee-jerk reaction to appease the public sentiment drummed up by mainstream media. Its real impact will be negligible given the small volume of official trade between the two countries. Reportedly, Indian diplomats are also considering approaching the Financial Action Task Force and the European Commission to financially choke Pakistan. In terms of military options, Indian forces have been asked to prepare for a controlled conflict with Pakistan by the Indian political leadership. Jingoists in India need to consider the regional scenario before they bring matters to a point of no-return. Peace talks in Afghanistan are heading towards a settlement of sorts. The US, China and Russia are not likely to support any Indian misadventure as it would directly affect the regional stability. Another conflict in the region will be detrimental to peace prospects. It is understandable that in an election year the Modi government needs to demonstrate its tough posture, but the cost of escalation is something that the people of two nuclear-armed countries cannot afford. * Published in Daily Times, February 18th 2019.