The Pahalgam attack comes at a time of heightened diplomatic attention, coinciding with the visit of US vice-president JD Vance's four-day visit to India.
Vance, his wife and their three children arrived in India on Monday and had discussions with the Prime Minister, before Modi left for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning. While the Vance family is on a tour of Agra visiting Taj Mahal and other monuments, Modi cut short his Saudi visit and returned to India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.
This is not the first instance of militancy in Kashmir intersecting with high-profile American visits.
On 20 March 2000—just a day before then US president Bill Clinton arrived in India—36 Sikh villagers were massacred in Chittisinghpora in Anantnag, allegedly by Pakistan-based militants.
The massacre cast a dark shadow over Clinton’s visit, prompting then Prime Minister, AB Vajpayee, to raise Pakistan’s role in the incident directly with him.
Two years later, on 14 May 2002, militants struck again—this time in Kaluchak—during a visit by then US assistant secretary of state, Christina Rocca. Armed men opened fire on a civilian bus and later attacked army family quarters, killing 23 people, including 10 children, and injuring 34 others.
These attacks, timed to coincide with major US diplomatic engagements, underscore how militant groups in the region have used moments of international visibility to send a message—challenging India’s security preparedness and testing the strength of its diplomatic ties.
