India’s foreign policy framework experienced a major shift recently as it launched an unprecedented diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor, a calculated and precise kinetic response to Pakistan’s cross-border. Traditionally India’s action was significantly centered on hard power through military retaliation, Bharat has now pivoted towards a more panoramic approach that combines demonstrative cost imposition by force with a diplomatic stratagem. This shift is symbolic of what is called ‘smart power’ in the language of international relations – a blend of hard and soft power to achieve policy objectives and secure national interests. This piece delves into the twin pillars of India’s evolving strategy in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack: military retaliation and global narrative-building....