Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has admitted that the Congress-led UPA government had decided not to retaliate against Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks due to intense international pressure, as well as the Ministry of External Affairs’ stance.
The Congress leader has revealed that “retribution crossed my mind” but the government decided against military action.
“The whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us don’t start a war,” said Chidambaram during a recent interview. Chidambaram took over as the Union Home Minister days after the 26/11 terror attacks that claimed the lives of 175 people.
“Condoleezza Rice, who was then US Secretary of State, flew in two or three days after I took over, to meet me and the Prime Minister. And to say, ‘please don’t react’. I said this is a decision that the government will take. Without disclosing any official secret, it did cross my mind that we should do some act of retribution,” the Congress leader acknowledged.
Chidambaram went on to say that he discussed a possible retaliation with the Prime Minister and “other people who mattered.”
“The Prime Minister had discussed this even when the attack was going on… And the conclusion was, largely influenced by the the Ministry of External Affairs, and the IFS, that we should not physically react to the situation,” he recalled.
A group of 10 Pakistani terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out attacks on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj train station; the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel, the Leopold Cafe, the Cama Hospital, and the Nariman House on November 26, 2008 in what later went to be known as Mumbai attacks. Ajmal Kasab, one of the terrorists who was caught by the Mumbai Police, was executed in 2012.
Too little, too late: BJP
Chidambaram’s remarks drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders, who called the admission “too little, too late”.
The BJP has frequently cited India’s reaction after the Mumbai attack as an example of the UPA’s weakness in foreign policy and security issues, contrasting that with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s own muscular response to terror attacks through surgical strikes and more — in 2016 (in response to the Uri terror attack), the 2019 Balakot air strike (in response to the Pulwama terror attack), and Operation Sindoor in 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
“This makes it clear what their inclination was regarding dealing with Pakistan. Just nine months after the 26/11 attacks, a joint declaration with Pakistan was signed in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, a neutral location in July 2009. It is both sad and astonishing that Balochistan was mentioned in this joint declaration. This means, in a way, they were ready to accept that falsehood as well,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said on Monday calling former Home Minister’s remarks ‘worrying.’
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala alleged that Chidambaram was initially reluctant to take charge as Home Minister in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, wanted military action against Pakistan, but “others prevailed”.
The whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us don’t start a war.
Poonawala questioned whether senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi or then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had blocked the move, claiming that the UPA government appeared to act under the influence of Condoleezza Rice.
“After 17 years, Chidambaram, Former Home Minister admits what the nation knew — 26/11 was mishandled due to pressure from foreign powers. Too little, too late,” said Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy.
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