It was the midnight of May 6, 2025, when the skies over Pakistan roared with the echoes of missiles. India had launched "Operation Sindoor", a swift and bold military campaign claiming to root out terrorist hideouts in Pakistani territory. The world held its breath.
Just weeks earlier, on April 22, an attack in Pahalgam had killed 28 Hindu tourists. Fueled by outrage, India blamed Pakistan and promised revenge but there were no proof that Pakistan was behind this vicious terror attack. But what was intended to be a show of strength soon turned into a mirror reflecting India's fragility.
As Indian fighter jets soared, so did tensions. Pakistan retaliated fast and hard. Indian Rafale jets were shot down, soldiers captured and the world began to whisper, is this the end of Indian supremacy in the region?
The war didn't last long, just 87 hours, but it was enough to shake the ground beneath South Asia. India, despite its bravado, suffered a humiliating strategic setback. Its economy reeled.
$83 billion vanished, stock markets crashed, airspace closed and investors fled. Pakistan, though economically weaker, stood firm, aided by allies like China and Turkey, who armed it with cutting-edge drones and technology. The myth of India as the "unchallenged superpower" began to crumble.
Many Indian intellectuals, military officials and defense experts believe the Pahalgam attack was a 'false flag' operation. Modi's popularity in India has been declining and to boost his political ambitions and stir up hardline Hindutva sentiment, India entered this war with Pakistan. While ordinary Indians gain nothing from this conflict, Modi is trying to cash in politically.
Beyond the battlefield, India's inner conflicts were catching up with it.In the name of nationalism;
It had silenced minorities, jailed dissenters and fueled religious divisions.
Muslims lynched for eating beef, Christians harassed, Dalits oppressed, journalists gagged, Muslims are being stripped of their rights, the Waqf laws are being abolished to nationalize Muslim-owned properties and mosques are being demolished to build temples in their place, this isn't the face of a rising global leader. Modi holds tight control over most of India's media, which is now largely used for propaganda and spreading false or biased news. The world watched as India's democratic mask slipped.
And when the war ended in a rushed ceasefire, it wasn't just missiles that had failed, India's ambition to dominate South Asia was now questioned.
With calm leadership and strategic neutrality, Bangladesh could emerge not just as a survivor but a leader. Not through missiles or slogansbut through stability, development and diplomacy. Its progress in education, healthcare and women's empowerment could become a model for the subcontinent.Its ability to speak with both India and Pakistan, to work with China, the West and the Middle-East, could reshape the regional order
Across the border in Bangladesh, people watched closely. After Hasina fled, India's behavior toward Bangladesh grew harsher. Differnt BJP and Hindu leaders at various levels have made negative remarks about Bangladesh, further souring the country's sentiment toward India. India had always played the role of "big brother", helping in 1971, but often overstepping since. For years, India cast a long shadow over its neighbors, especially Bangladesh. From meddling in elections behind closed doors to using trade as a tool of pressure, Delhi's grip was felt in every corner of Dhaka's politics and economy. Policies were influenced, decisions delayed and sovereignty often compromised in the name of regional "friendship." That once-dominant shadow is beginning to fade.
India's internal turmoil, rising authoritarianism and failed military adventures have weakened its standing. Its influence, once taken for granted, is now being questioned not just abroad, but within its own borders. For countries like Bangladesh, this moment is not just a political shift, it's a chance to rethink old dependencies and reclaim a more balanced, self-determined path.
Bangladesh, already ahead in per capita GDP, saw an opening. Could this be the moment to diversify trade, reduce dependence on India and attract investments fleeing the Indian market? Could Bangladesh finally walk its own path diplomatically and economically?
The conflict also stirred questions about security. If India, with its massive military, could be rattled, Bangladesh needed to prepare too. Talks began about modernizing defense, possibly with help from China and Turkey. The goal wasn't war but independence. A voice. A choice.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives, countries often forced to bend to India, also began to breathe. For the first time in decades, India's dominance was no longer a given.
With calm leadership and strategic neutrality, Bangladesh could emerge not just as a survivor but a leader. Not through missiles or slogans but through stability, development and diplomacy. Its progress in education, healthcare and women's empowerment could become a model for the subcontinent. Its ability to speak with both India and Pakistan, to work with China, the West and the Middle-East, could reshape the regional order.
India is still powerful. It may come back harder, with cunning strategies. But the 2025 conflict has exposed cracks in its armor and shown others what's possible. India has suffered a strategic and moral defeat. Now is the time for the nations of the subcontinent to rise with dignity and reclaim their self-respect, free from the shadow of dominance.
For Bangladesh, this moment is a crossroad. One road leads back to dependence. The other to bold independence, careful diplomacy and strategic strength.
The story of South Asia is shifting. And Bangladesh now holds the pen.
The writer is a photojournalist with The Daily Observer
