Dear reader, 

After the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 much of what passed for “news” in the country was awash in jingoism, noise and political theatre. But Scroll stuck to what matters: accountability, clarity and deep context.

In his latest dispatch, Safwat Zargar documents a historic escalation in Kashmir – security forces demolishing the homes of militants for the first time in the 36-year history of insurgency in the valley. Check it out here. 

Safwat also broke down why the Modi government must answer for the security lapses that led to the attack (read here), while Umar Sofi explained why the serene hills of Baisaran were an all-too-strategic target for those trying to derail Kashmir’s fragile peace. Read here.

Why has the Opposition stayed unusually quiet? Anant Gupta investigated the political calculations behind their silence – and what it says about the state of national security discourse in the country. Read the story here. 

In The India Fix, Shoaib Daniyal spoke with former military officer and Yale University lecturer Sushant Singh about the risks of military escalation, the government’s “normalcy” narrative and what Delhi’s options look like in a nuclear neighbourhood. Check it out here. 

And in a story that looks beyond the valley, Safwat looked at how India’s withdrawal from the Indus Waters Treaty could hurt Pakistan. Read it here. 

Bringing you stories like this takes time, commitment and resources – and we can’t do it alone.

Become a Scroll Member today.

Best,
Team Scroll