India-Pakistan Geopolitical Strategy: Why Pakistan Keeps Copying India’s Every Move

In the theatre of global power, there are two kinds of players: the strategic architects and the mimics. While India continues to script bold and calculated geopolitical chapters, Pakistan appears content performing as a second-rate understudy—imitating every plotline, gesture, and move without a script of its own. Pakistan’s copy-paste geopolitics has become a defining trait in recent tensions, exposing not only its diplomatic fragility but also a lack of vision and originality on the world stage.

The Spark: A Bloody Trigger in Pahalgam

The recent escalation stems from the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which saw 26 innocent lives lost. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a stern national address, promised swift and decisive justice. True to his word, Operation Sindoor—a precision military campaign against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir—was launched on the intervening nights of May 6 and 7. Nine terror camps were reduced to rubble, over 100 terrorists eliminated, and a clear message sent: India will no longer tolerate provocation.

Operation Sindoor: A Symbol of Strategic Sovereignty

Operation Sindoor wasn’t just a military manoeuvre; it was a tribute. As PM Modi articulated: “Terrorists wiped the sindoor off the foreheads of our mothers and sisters… so India reduced their terror headquarters to rubble.” It was poetic vengeance—calculated, coordinated, and deeply symbolic.

Pakistan’s response? A hurriedly named retaliation, “Operation Bunyan al-Marsus”—an Arabic phrase for “a structure made of lead.” Unfortunately for Islamabad, this metaphor fell flat. What was meant to project strength came across as hollow bravado, especially in light of India’s more grounded and coherent messaging.

Diplomatic Dominoes: Copying Every Strike

India’s strategic messaging was followed by a diplomatic offensive. Declaring a Pakistani diplomat persona non grata, suspending visa services, and halting Indus Water Treaty data sharing were firm, clear-headed responses. Pakistan, true to form, responded with mirror actions—declaring an Indian official persona non grata, suspending the 1972 Simla Agreement, and stopping Indian visas.

These reactions, while appearing retaliatory, were more reactionary than revolutionary. Each measure was a photocopy of India’s original decision—lacking originality, foresight, or context.

The Air Base Visits: Symbolism vs. Simulation

On May 13, PM Modi’s visit to Adampur air base in Punjab sent another strong message of morale, readiness, and resilience. The base, one of the targets during Pakistan’s botched retaliatory strikes, stood unharmed. PM Modi’s interactions with the pilots and jawans of Operation Sindoor painted a picture of strength.

The next day, Shehbaz Sharif attempted a similar gesture, visiting Pasrur Cantonment in Sialkot. Ironically, Pasrur had sustained heavy damage during the Indian strikes. Sharif’s visit—mirroring Modi’s down to the speeches—only highlighted the performative mimicry. The visuals told a starkly different story: one base radiating preparedness, the other crumbling under the weight of damage and denial.

Global Outreach: India Leads, Pakistan Follows

India’s most recent move—a first-of-its-kind diplomatic outreach involving all-party delegations—cemented its proactive strategy. Political heavyweights like Shashi Tharoor, Supriya Sule, and Kanimozhi were roped in to present India’s case globally, giving the campaign bipartisan credibility.

Within hours, Pakistan scrambled to announce its version of a peace mission, appointing PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as its frontman. Accompanied by former ministers and diplomats, the delegation’s intent was clear: mimic the structure of India’s outreach without innovating its own.

Provocation Is the Only Original Play

While imitation defines Pakistan’s recent conduct, there’s one area where it seems to lead—provocation. Whether through cross-border shelling or cyber warfare, the pattern remains consistent: provoke, get hit back hard, and retreat. Military observers have quipped that Pakistan retreats “like a scared dog with its tail between its legs” whenever India retaliates.

Following the initial strikes and Pakistan’s failed escalation attempts on May 8–10, including attacks on Indian military bases, the heat eventually cooled. A ceasefire was brokered on May 10 with the involvement of U.S. President Donald Trump. But while the guns may have gone silent for now, the bitterness remains thick in the air.

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