When Dr. Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister (not Sonia Gandhi—though she was UPA chairperson), India faced a series of deadly terror attacks. Here’s a summary of key incidents during that time:
2004–2008 (UPA-1)
- 2004 Bejaji School (Assam) – 18 killed (ULFA-related)
- 2005 Delhi Serial Blasts – 70 killed
- 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts – 209 killed (Lashkar-e-Taiba suspected)
- 2007 Samjhauta Express Blast – 68 killed
- 2008 Ahmedabad, Delhi, Assam blasts – Combined over 200+ killed
- 26/11 Mumbai attacks – 175 killed, global attention; carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.
2009–2013 (UPA-2)
- 2010 Dantewada Attack (Naxal) – 44 CRPF jawans killed
- 2011 Mumbai Blasts – 26 killed
- 2013 Hyderabad Blasts – 16 killed
Did India Strike Back Militarily?
During UPA rule, India did not carry out cross-border military strikes despite overwhelming evidence that many attacks, especially 26/11, were launched from Pakistan.
- Diplomatic pressure was the primary method.
- Pakistan was named at international forums, but military retaliation was avoided.
- There were no surgical strikes or air raids like those seen post-Uri (2016) or Pulwama (2019) under the Modi government.
Comparison with Post-2014 Response
Post-2014, under PM Narendra Modi, India adopted a more assertive stance, especially after:
- Uri Attack (2016) → India conducted surgical strikes across LoC.
- Pulwama Attack (2019) → India conducted Balakot Air Strike inside Pakistan.
🏁 Conclusion
The UPA era (2004–2014) indeed witnessed a high number of deadly terror attacks, with limited direct military retaliation. The shift under the NDA government post-2014 was towards military assertiveness and public disclosure of retaliatory strikes. This change reflects evolving security doctrines and public expectations.
