Pakistan, May 10 -- The Rafale deal, sealed just days after the Pahalgam massacre, did more than bolster India's defence capabilities-it sent a resounding signal of Western support at a moment when restraint was urgently needed. On April 28, 2025, barely six days after the tragic killing of 26 tourists in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, India finalized a $7.4 billion agreement with France for 26 Rafale-M naval fighter jets. The ink on the deal was still drying when New Delhi launched a sweeping military campaign against Pakistan, including cross-border missile, drone, and airstrikes-not just along the contested Line of Control (LoC), but deep into Pakistani territory.

This escalation, framed as a counterterrorism operation, marks a dang...