The mourning began long before the missiles flew. On 22 April 2025, a terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, left 26 civilians dead—among them, children, women, tourists, and local residents. The horror of it spread swiftly through India and across the world, carried not just by headlines but by the visceral sense that something had ruptured. A line had been crossed—not just by the attackers, but by the expectations of restraint India has long shouldered.
Two weeks later, New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor: a series of strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and within Pakistan’s own borders. Officials described the campaign as focused, non-escalatory, and designed to avoid civilian casualties. That framing, however, barely scratches the surface of what is now unfolding—not only in the skies over the subcontinent, but in the hearts and minds of Indians everywhere.
Among Indian-Australians, the response has been resolute. Subash Chetry, President of GOPIO Cairns, issued a statement that captured the sentiment of many in the diaspora. “India’s response is not an act of revenge, but one of responsibility,” he wrote. “A nation cannot and must not remain passive when its civilians are targeted in such a calculated and barbaric manner.” The tone was calm, but the message was unmistakable: this was overdue.
For others, calm gave way to fury. Sushma Naik, another Queensland-based voice, wrote with raw emotion: “We have been taught ahimsa, which has been misinterpreted as being silent… and silence has become our curse.” Her words echoed through WhatsApp groups, community forums, and radio airwaves. She continued: “If war is what it takes to end this cycle of terror, then so be it.”
These are not fringe views. They reflect a growing fatigue with decades of diplomatic footwork that, in the eyes of many, has failed to prevent carnage. Pushpinder, a local Indian-Australian commentator, took aim at what he sees as selective outrage. “Calling for restraint only when India defends itself, while staying silent on the relentless terrorism our people face, reveals a troubling double standard.”
It’s not just about sympathy—it’s about sovereignty. Many in the Indian diaspora now see global reactions to attacks on India as curiously muted when compared to how Western nations respond to incidents in Europe or North America. “There can be no double standards when it comes to terror—whether it strikes in Sydney, Srinagar or San Francisco,” wrote Chetry. And on that, there appears to be consensus.
Operation Sindoor has found wide support among the Indian-Australian community, with many praising the nature of the strikes and the decision to avoid large-scale escalation—at least for now.
For Canberra, meanwhile, the reaction was swift. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updated its travel advisory for India on 7 May, urging Australians to avoid the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the India–Pakistan border, and the north-eastern state of Manipur. DFAT warned of potential airport closures and disruptions to airline schedules. Travellers were advised to check with carriers before flying, stay updated through local media, and heed government instructions.
Airspace over north-western India remains volatile. The Attari land border crossing has been closed, and both countries have stepped away from foundational agreements—India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan scrapping the Simla Accord. These are not small gestures. They signal a retraction of trust, the peeling away of old guardrails.
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🇮🇳Indian-Australians support #OperationSindoor strikes after #PahalgamTerroristAttack killed 26.✈️ Australia issues travel warnings for J&K & India-Pak border.💔 Diaspora voices frustration over "double standards" in global terror responses. #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/HKoHyMsnIo
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