Bangladesh, May 2 -- When US Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in India for a four-day visit, the strategic goals were clear: deepen US-India ties, strengthen defense cooperation, and finalize a framework for ambitious trade talks. Yet, events took a dramatic turn when a devastating terrorist attack struck Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam region, killing 26 civilians. The attack, carried out during Vances trip, served as a sobering reminder of the persistent threat of Islamist terrorism in South Asia-and of the delicate geopolitics the United States must navigate between two nuclear-armed neighbors.

The Indian government reacted swiftly and firmly. On May 1, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced that he had spoken to US Secr...