Operation Sindoor: Following India’s successful execution of Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), a significant editorial shift was observed in The New York Times (NYT), a leading American daily. For the first time, NYT directly referred to the perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre as “terrorists” in a headline—marking a departure from earlier reports that used softer terms like “militants” or “gunmen.”
The shift was evident in Wednesday’s front-page headline on NYT’s website: “India Strikes Pakistan Two Weeks After Terrorist Attack in Kashmir.” The article described the strike as retaliation for the April 22 attack on civilians in Pahalgam, quoting Indian officials who stated that the action came after gathering evidence of the “clear involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists.”
NYT report highlights India’s ‘measured’ retaliation against Pakistan
The NYT report emphasised India’s official stance, noting that the strikes were “measured, responsible, and designed to be non-escalatory.” It underlined that only known terror camps were targeted in the operation. This recognition by a major global publication of India’s restrained and focused response was seen as a diplomatic victory for New Delhi.
NYT backlash over previous reporting
The editorial shift follows severe criticism NYT faced for its previous coverage of the Pahalgam terror attack. When 26 tourists—among them a Nepali national—were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s scenic Baisaran valley, the NYT had used the headline: “At Least 24 Tourists Gunned Down by Militants in Kashmir.” The report described the event as a “shooting,” citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement calling it a “terror attack.”
The language used drew widespread condemnation, including from the US House Foreign Affairs Committee. In a strong rebuke, the committee posted on X, stating: “This was a terrorist attack, plain and simple.” The post criticized NYT for downplaying terrorism and added, “Whether it’s India or Israel, when it comes to terrorism, the NYT is removed from reality.”
What is Trump’s reaction to Operation Sindoor?
US President Donald Trump also weighed in, characterising India’s actions as a “tit-for-tat” response. Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said, “I want to see them stop and hopefully they can stop now. They’ve gotten tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now.”