More than a week after India and Pakistan announced a pause in their tense military conflict, New Delhi has made clear that Operation Sindoor — the title of the military undertaking that struck terrorist bases and then Pakistani bases — is not over. It has just shifted to a new theatre for now: diplomacy. The government’s decision to deploy dozens of parliamentarians across party lines in delegations to capitals across the world in a bid to disseminate India’s narrative on the tensions with Pakistan is a welcome move for several reasons. First, it is vital for both government and ordinary Indians to appreciate that the world’s understanding of what unfolded between the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and the ceasefire on May 10 is more complex than the simple narrative available in the echo chambers of Indian television channels. Pakistan, too, has peddled its version of events to different nations to muddy the waters between victim and perpetrator of violence and terror. That is why the initiative to aggressively push India’s perspective on Operation Sindoor and on the decades of terrorism that the country has suffered is critical.

But there is a second reason why the government’s approach must be commended. Since April 22, Opposition parties, to their credit, mostly set aside political differences to back the government in its diplomatic and military response to Pakistan. That political unity was essential in conveying to the world that India stood as one in the face of terror. By deploying cross-party delegations, the government is underlining that message while taking all of Parliament on board in its efforts to corner Pakistan diplomatically. If all parties and the government also ensure that the same spirit percolates down to society, India will be well-served. Pakistan has also announced a parliamentary delegation that will visit global capitals, presumably to try to blunt India’s message. Yet, in addition to the oratory and the communication skills of many of its delegates, India also has another major advantage: the truth. That Pakistan harbours terrorist organisations that have targeted India is something that no other government in the world will deny. That the leaders of those organisations have not faced real justice is the reality. That Operation Sindoor was a response to a devastating attack on civilians who were targeted on the basis of faith is beyond question. In the battle of narratives, those facts are India’s sharpest weapons.