India, Nov. 23 -- On the night of 26 November 2008, Mumbai was held hostage for nearly 60 hours. Ten Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives landed on Indian shores after months of preparation, coordinated from Pakistan, guided in real time by handlers in Karachi. Their attack on hotels of national importance, a railway terminus of national importance, cafes and a Jewish centre killed 166 people and left many more wounded. The siege was not only a moment of national grief but also the clearest demonstration of a system that India had warned the world about. Terror directed from Pakistani soil, supported by its networks, and executed with military-style precision.

17 years have passed since that night. The weapons have changed, the targets have shifte...