India Avoids Blaming Pakistan for Delhi Blast, Sparks Online Reactions Following May Defeat

India has labeled the November 10 explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort as a “terror” incident, carefully avoiding direct attribution to Pakistan, a departure from its immediate blame pattern after past attacks such as the 2019 Pulwama attack or April’s Pahalgam incident. The blast killed at least 13 people and injured more than 20, sparking nationwide attention and online commentary.

Investigators are exploring potential links to the recent arrests of seven men in Indian-administered Kashmir and the seizure of 2,900kg of explosives in Faridabad, a Delhi suburb. While the federal cabinet called the attack “a heinous terror incident perpetrated by anti-national forces,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as part of a “conspiracy” and vowed that “all those responsible will be brought to justice.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah echoed the PM’s remarks, emphasizing that authorities were instructed to track down every individual involved.

Notably, four days after the blast, the Modi administration has refrained from immediately blaming Pakistan, a shift many observers link to India’s military setbacks during May’s cross-border aerial clashes with Pakistan. On May 7, Pakistan shot down at least six Indian fighter jets in a confrontation described as one of the largest aerial battles since World War II. The clashes ended following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, with Pakistan reportedly targeting multiple Indian military assets.

Indian-Swedish peace and conflict expert Ashok Swain noted the change in India’s rhetoric, observing that the Modi government took 48 hours to officially label the Delhi explosion a terror attack, without resorting to aggressive posturing toward Pakistan. Netizens and analysts have echoed this sentiment, joking that the “Modi government’s software update” was apparently installed following the May clashes or pointing to India’s lessons learned at the cost of military and global embarrassment.

Some commentators have taken a more serious perspective, emphasizing India’s internal security challenges. They argue that homegrown terrorism, fueled by radical groups and separatist movements across regions such as Punjab and Nagaland, poses a significant threat to India’s internal stability. Pakistani authorities have highlighted this view, dismissing India’s tendency to externalize blame and offering independent investigations into attacks like the Pahalgam incident.

This cautious approach by India marks a notable shift in public rhetoric and raises discussions on the country’s handling of domestic and external security threats in the context of recent military and political developments.