India, US Ignite Crisis; Islam Targeted

Indian strikes, US backing fuel claims of anti-Muslim agenda

Two weeks ago – tensions between India and Pakistan, were never at the level it had escalated to last night. Relations between both countries have always been tenuous given both were once one.

But last night’s volatile escalation, where Indian fighter jets crossed into Pakistani airspace to launch a series of coordinated airstrikes New Delhi claims targeted “terrorist infrastructure,” saw Pakistan respond by downing multiple Indian aircraft and swiftly shutting down its airspace – now places a region with nearly two billion people and two nuclear powers plants at a dangerous tipping point.

Pakistan’s government denounced the airstrikes as an unprovoked act of aggression, reporting civilian casualties—including a child—accusing India of striking near a mosque and residential neighbourhoods. Pakistan countered by shooting down at least two Indian jets, including a French-made Rafale. India has yet to confirm the losses but maintains it acted in self-defence following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month.

What appears on the surface as a familiar border conflict may have far more complex undertones. Senior diplomatic sources now suggest India’s strikes weren’t simply reactive—but were planned in concert with the US. Reports indicate the US knew days in advance, and instead of urging restraint, green-lit the operation, triggering allegations of a broader geopolitical strategy—aimed at Islamabad, and Moscow.

India has walked a careful line in the ongoing war in Ukraine, maintaining strong defence ties with Russia even as Western nations isolate the Kremlin. For the US, India’s non-alignment has been frustrating, with some analysts believing the US saw the operation as a chance to nudge India away from Russia by entangling it deeper in a Western-aligned military response.

For, Donald Trump, the timing is also politically useful. Facing a storm of criticism over domestic failures and international stumbles, Trump has been desperate for a foreign policy win. In some circles, his quiet endorsement of the strike is being seen as a strategic gamble—a calculated attempt to portray strength, distract from the Ukraine quagmire, and present himself as a strongman ally to a major Asian democracy.

Trump however, may have crossed a line. Rather than de-escalate a regional conflict, his administration may have fuelled it—risking nuclear confrontation for marginal political gain. And now, the costs are global.

More alarmingly though, the incident is being framed by some as part of a wider ideological war. In Pakistan and parts of the Muslim world, the joint Indian-US posture is seen not just as strategic, but as religiously motivated—an assault on a Muslim-majority nation by two governments increasingly aligned against Islamic communities.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP party has long promoted a Hindu nationalist vision, and his government has faced repeated allegations of marginalizing Indian Muslims. Trump, rose to power on anti-Muslim rhetoric and has maintained policies perceived as hostile to Islamic countries. The result: a narrative this military operation—whatever its tactical justification—serves a broader campaign of targeting Muslim-majority populations.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister labelled the strikes “an attack not just on sovereignty, but on Islam itself,” citing reports that a mosque was among the damaged structures. Thousands have since taken to the streets in Pakistani cities, waving national flags and chanting religious slogans in defiance of what they call a “Western-Hindu alliance.”

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also issued a statement condemning the “provocative and Islamophobic posture” of both nations, with Iran, Turkey, and Malaysia expressing concerns about rising religious tensions in South Asia.

The fallout has reached beyond South Asia. Russia, a close defence partner of India and a fellow BRICS member, has reacted coolly. While not condemning India outright, the Kremlin has made clear its displeasure. Russia had recently supported Pakistan’s interest in joining BRICS—a move India opposed—and this attack undermines Moscow’s effort to foster cooperation among non-Western powers.

“This move makes India look more like a Western proxy than a BRICS pillar,” a Russian diplomat said. “We will have to reassess what unity means inside BRICS after this.”

China, Pakistan’s longstanding ally, issued a sharp rebuke of India’s actions and called for immediate de-escalation. Beijing’s warning, coupled with Russia’s discomfort, suggests India may have severely strained its relationships with key strategic partners—isolating itself at a moment when its global ambitions are growing.

The international community has expressed alarm. The UN has called for immediate restraint, warning continued military escalation between India and Pakistan could “destabilise the entire region.” European leaders echoed the call, but many privately fear the situation has already slipped out of control.

Lurking in the shadows is a dangerous precedent: that regional disputes can be manipulated for great-power gain, even at the risk of catastrophic war. If India’s actions were carried out with US backing—as the available evidence increasingly suggests—it represents not just recklessness, but a moral abdication with a billion lives hanging in the balance.

With airspace closed, troops on alert, and accusations flying, the region is now precariously perched on the precipice of a full scale. war, with a nuclear confrontation every possibility. Whether cooler heads prevail—or Trump and Modi continue to press their advantage—won’t only determine the fate of South Asia, but the direction of global politics in the months to come.