Pakistan’s recent efforts to out-manoeuvre India have gone from fizzles in the sky to flops on the diplomatic circuit and now even a failed attempt at pulpit politics.
The latest episode unfolded in Malaysia, where Islamabad tried to derail “Operation Sindoor” outreach events by playing the religion card – only to run into a wall.
Religion gambit grounded in Kuala Lumpur
Sources told India Today TV that Pakistan’s embassy pressed Malaysian officials to cancel all ten public programmes planned by a nine-member Indian parliamentary delegation.
The pitch, according to India Today, was blunt: “We are an Islamic country, you are an Islamic country... don't listen to the Indian delegation, cancel all their programmes in Malaysia.”
Kuala Lumpur remained unmoved.
All-Party Parliamentary Delegation of India in Malaysia led by MP Shri Sanjay Kumar Jha. (X/@hcikl)
Malaysia green-lit every event, snubbing Islamabad’s plea and clearing the way for JDU MP Sanjay Jha to lead his cross-party team – BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah and Hemang Joshi, Trinamool Congress’ Abhishek Banerjee, CPM’s John Brittas, Congress veteran Salman Khurshid, and former envoy Mohan Kumar.
Addressing the diaspora on Sunday, Abhishek Banerjee declared that India should talk to Pakistan only after it is “ready to hand over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir”.
Operation Sindoor: precision strikes, precision embarrassment for Pakistan
Malaysia’s diplomatic dismissal is merely the latest setback.
On the military front, Operation Sindoor has already left Pakistan picking shrapnel out of its pride.
In the early hours of May 7, the Indian Air Force hit nine terror camps inside Pakistan. Key Pakistani airbases – including Nur Khan and Bholari – also took damage, exposing chinks in Chinese-supplied air defences.
Between May 8 and 10, Pakistan launched strikes on Indian military sites. India replied by smashing radar stations, air-defence nodes and command centres across the border.
Bayraktar bust-up and an S-400 smack-down
According to the Times of India, Turkey’s much-hyped Bayraktar TB2 drones – hailed as game-changers from Ukraine to Libya – faced a game-over moment.
Every single TB2 deployed by Pakistan in May was shot down by India’s indigenous Akashteer system, leaving Ankara’s drone sales pitch badly singed.
When Pakistan escalated on the night of May 7-8, India rolled out its Russian-built S-400 Triumf.
The multi-layered shield – S-400, Barak-8 MRSAM and home-grown Akash missiles – swatted away volleys of drones and missiles from Jammu to Jaisalmer, while India’s own limited salvos found their marks.
A flop hat-trick
Missiles? Checked by Indian air defence.
Drones? Downed in droves.
Theology? Thwarted in Kuala Lumpur.
With each gambit, Islamabad seems to add another entry to a lengthening list of failed plays against New Delhi’s “new normal”: hit back hard, brief the world and carry on.