Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will likely skip Russia&rsquo;s Victory Day parade in Moscow scheduled for May 9. 
Instead, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth may represent India at the event, signalling India&rsquo;s heightened internal security focus and strategic caution on the international front.
The move comes in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people were killed&mdash;marking the deadliest strike in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. 
The attack, attributed to The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has since been followed by multiple ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), persistent cyberattacks on Indian defence-linked websites, and escalating diplomatic friction.
According to sources, Singh&rsquo;s absence is due to the evolving national security environment, especially in light of Pakistan&rsquo;s repeated firing across the LoC in regions like Kupwara, Uri, and Akhnoor for nine consecutive days. 
The Indian Army&rsquo;s responses have been described as &ldquo;measured but effective.&rdquo;
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Russia twice in 2024 for bilateral and BRICS summits, was initially invited by President Vladimir Putin to attend the commemorative Victory Day event. 
However, in view of the sensitive security environment, India opted for a lower-profile representation. This year&rsquo;s Moscow parade is expected to host leaders from nearly 20 countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Furthering India's diplomatic stance, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on May 2. 
During the discussion, Jaishankar conveyed India&rsquo;s strong condemnation of the Pahalgam attack, stressing that the perpetrators, planners, and their backers must be brought to justice. 
He also discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation and the upcoming high-level diplomatic engagements between the two nations.
Lavrov, meanwhile, reiterated the need for India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through political and diplomatic means, invoking the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999.
Following the terror attack, India has initiated several stringent diplomatic actions including the closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, the suspension of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals, and the cancellation of all visas issued to them with orders to leave by April 30. 
Additionally, India closed its airspace to Pakistani aircraft, prompting Pakistan to respond by suspending trade with India and barring Indian flights from its airspace.
Cybersecurity has also become a battleground. India&rsquo;s defence websites&mdash;such as those of Army Public Schools in Nagrota and Sunjuwan, as well as healthcare platforms for veterans&mdash;have come under cyberattack by Pakistan-sponsored groups like &ldquo;Cyber Group HOAX1337&rdquo; and &ldquo;National Cyber Crew.&rdquo; 
Indian cybersecurity agencies successfully neutralised these threats, though officials noted a troubling trend in targeting sites linked to children and ex-servicemen.
In a high-level security review meeting, Prime Minister Modi assured the armed forces of complete operational freedom to decide the timing, targets, and nature of India&rsquo;s response to terrorism. &ldquo;It is our national resolve to deliver a crushing blow to terrorism,&rdquo; he said.
India&rsquo;s diplomatic recalibration&mdash;manifested in Rajnath Singh skipping the Moscow parade and Jaishankar&rsquo;s assertive discussions with Lavrov&mdash;underscores the complex balance New Delhi is maintaining between strategic international ties and intensifying domestic security priorities.
&mdash;IANS
<a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb34ERXCnA7lrMp57S3N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow the Benefit News channel on WhatsApp</a>

India-Russia diplomacy amid Indo-Pak conflict

India cites security post-Pahalgam attack; Rajnath skips Russia's Victory Day parade

India Skips Moscow Parade Amid Pak Tensions

India cites security post-Pahalgam attack; Rajnath skips Russia's Victory Day parade

May 4, 2025 | 09:45 IST