An Indian soldier takes cover as the Taj Mahal hotel burns during gun battles between Indian troops and militants inside the hotel. David Guttenfelder/ APDespite its outrage over November's Mumbai terrorist attacks, which originated in Pakistan, India has been restrained in its response. Fears that the fallout from the massacre could spark a military confrontation between the hostile, nuclear-armed neighbors proved unfounded, and even India's diplomatic efforts to shame Pakistan and pressure the nation to act against militants operating from its soil have been viewed in India as timid and incoherent. Six weeks after the attacks, the issue has been bumped off the global diplomatic agenda by the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation in Gaza, and India's options are shrinking. In the eyes of many in India who take a dim view of Islamabad's handling of cross-border terrorism, the game is going in Pakistan's favor.
Many Indians had hoped the Mumbai attacks would provide a tipping point in India's — and the West's — tolerance for Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. But until now, even India's modest demands — that suspects be extradited to India and terrorist infrastructure on Pakistani soil be dismantled — might go unmet, despite the Pakistani authorities' moves to close down some groups in response to a U.N. Security Council ruling. "Terrorist infrastructure will remain, there will be more attacks, history will keep repeating itself," says Chellaney. "Soon we will return to the familiar cycle."
Has Pakistan Outwitted India?
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