‘As A Soldier’s Wife I Know Strength Comes From Resolve, Nor Revenge’

Saroj Karwasra, who prays for lasting peace, says Indian attack on Pakistani terror camps was less an act of retaliation and more a step to protect its citizens’ future. Her views:

As the wife of a retired army officer, I have seen the reality behind the headlines. I have lived through the worry when my husband was posted at the border, and I have heard stories that most people only read about in newspapers. Over the years, I have learned to stay calm in the face of uncertainty, to smile even when I was terrified inside, and to always hope that peace would one day prevail.

That’s why, when India launched an attack on terrorist camps across the border, I felt it was a necessary step, not out of aggression but out of the need to protect our own. Enough innocent lives have been lost, and it’s time we took a firm stand.

This isn’t about politics. It’s personal for me, and for every family that’s lived through the pain of losing a loved one to terrorism. We’ve stayed quiet for too long, lighting candles after every attack, offering our condolences, and moving on because what else could we do? But not this time. This time, India stood up and said, “Enough.” And I couldn’t be prouder.

The attack on terror camps wasn’t an act of hate; it was an act of self-defence. For once, we sent a message that our silence should not be mistaken for weakness. We didn’t go after civilians or peace; we went after those who train and fund terror. Whether the mission was a “success” in military terms, I cannot say. But emotionally, it was. It brought dignity to those we lost. It reminded the world that India will no longer weep quietly.

Terrorism is like a poison it takes time to defang. And this strike was a strong first dose of the antidote. Of course, military action alone is not enough. We must also take harder decisions on the ground. India needs to rethink who we open our doors to. We must be cautious about migration, especially from across the border.

We should pause and review the treaties and agreements with Pakistan and ask honestly, are they helping us, or hurting us? If they are not in our national interest, we have every right to step back. Because peace, however noble, should never come at the cost of our people’s safety.

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Now, there are voices that say we should talk to Pakistan. Believe me, no one wants peace more than a soldier’s family. We know what war looks like, we live with its scars long after the firing stops. But dialogue requires trust. And trust has been broken too many times.

Maybe someday, when both nations truly want peace not just on paper but in spirit we can sit and talk like neighbors. But until that day comes, India must continue to protect its own. No more empty promises. No more folded flags handed to mothers and wives with trembling hands and broken hearts.

As a soldier’s wife, I’ve learned that strength is not about anger, but about quiet, steady resolve. And in that moment when India struck back, I felt a strange sense of peace because finally, we stood up not just for the fallen, but for the living. For every soldier at the border, for every child who deserves to grow up without fear and for every citizen who believes in justice.

And that, I truly believe, is what justice looks like.

As told to Deepti Sharma