The world has always prided itself on upholding justice, human rights, and global security, yet when it comes to India, these principles seem to dissolve into thin air. Despite overwhelming evidence of India’s involvement in state-sponsored terrorism, Western nations continue to turn a blind eye, prioritizing their economic and strategic interests over ethical considerations. The sheer magnitude of India’s defense contracts and trade partnerships has rendered it virtually untouchable, shielding it from international scrutiny. This selective silence on India’s transgressions is not an oversight but a deliberate act of complicity, revealing the hypocrisy of the so-called champions of human rights. The global institutions that are supposed to ensure justice and accountability have failed miserably, exposing the hollowness of their mission.
India’s involvement in destabilizing its neighboring countries through covert operations and proxy warfare is well-documented, yet conveniently ignored by the very nations that claim to lead the fight against terrorism. From orchestrating insurgencies to providing safe havens for militants, New Delhi’s hand in fueling unrest has been repeatedly exposed through intelligence reports, whistleblower accounts, and even confessions from former Indian operatives. For instance, in 2020, a European non-profit organization, EU DisinfoLab, uncovered a vast Indian disinformation network operating for over 15 years, aimed at maligning Pakistan and influencing EU and UN policies. Similarly, the 2016 arrest of Indian intelligence officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan, along with his detailed confessions of espionage and sabotage, further substantiated India’s involvement in cross-border terrorism. Additionally, India’s support for insurgent groups in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has been well-documented in historical accounts, yet these actions have largely been ignored by the international community. However, instead of being reprimanded or sanctioned, India is rewarded with lucrative arms deals and preferential trade agreements. The West, which spares no effort in condemning other nations for far lesser offenses, remains conspicuously silent when it comes to India. This double standard raises a pertinent question: are human rights violations only condemnable when committed by those who are not economic allies of the Western world?
Massive arms deal and trade partnerships have effectively shielded India from facing the consequences of its actions. The United States, France, Israel, and Russia are among the top suppliers of advanced weaponry to India, ensuring that their own defense industries flourish at the cost of regional stability. Multinational corporations, lured by India’s massive consumer market, are unwilling to jeopardize their profits by calling out its excesses. Western media, often quick to highlight atrocities elsewhere, remains astonishingly subdued on India’s repeated violations of human rights and international law. Reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have detailed India’s abuses in Kashmir, including unlawful detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings, yet these findings have failed to result in any significant diplomatic or economic repercussions. The economic stakes are too high, and morality has become an expendable commodity in the corridors of global power. This selective blindness erodes the credibility of international institutions and exposes the transactional nature of global politics. Moreover, the rise of Hindutva extremism within India, leading to attacks on religious minorities, journalists, and activists, further exemplifies the deteriorating human rights situation that remains unchecked by the global community.
The failure of global institutions to act against India’s crimes underscores the complicity of those who claim to safeguard international norms. Organizations like the United Nations, which impose sanctions and initiate interventions in other parts of the world, have remained passive spectators when it comes to India’s human rights abuses. Reports of extrajudicial killings, mass surveillance, forced disappearances, and suppression of dissent within India are regularly dismissed or watered down to maintain diplomatic decorum. According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), India’s actions in Kashmir amount to serious violations of international law, yet no concrete action has been taken against it. Western-backed financial institutions and economic forums, which are supposed to ensure ethical business practices, continue to funnel investments into India without any accountability. This moral inconsistency lays bare the charade of justice that these organizations claim to uphold.
The global silence on India’s actions is not just a failure of diplomacy; it is an active endorsement of injustice. The hypocrisy of Western nations in conveniently sidestepping India’s transgressions reveals a world order dictated by profit rather than principle. As long as economic and strategic interests remain paramount, international norms will continue to be selectively applied, exposing the glaring contradictions of global politics. The question remains: how long will the world continue to ignore India’s actions before the cost of complicity becomes too great to bear? History has shown that turning a blind eye to such transgressions only emboldens perpetrators, setting a dangerous precedent for the future of global governance.
The author is an independent researcher who writes on issues concerning national and regional security, focusing on matters having critical impact in these milieus. She can be reached at [email protected]
