**Former Home Minister P Chidambaram Admits UPA Did Not Retaliate After 2008 Mumbai Attacks Due to International Pressure**
*By Chanshimla Varah | Sep 30, 2025 | 11:05 AM*
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**What’s the story?**
Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has revealed that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government chose not to retaliate against Pakistan following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks because of pressure from the international community, including the United States.
“The whole world descended upon Delhi to tell us ‘don’t start a war’,” Chidambaram, who assumed office as Union Home Minister just days after the attacks, told a Hindi news channel.
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**Chidambaram’s Remarks**
“It did cross my mind for some act of retribution,” Chidambaram admitted. He recalled how Condoleezza Rice, then U.S. Secretary of State, visited India within a few days after he took charge. “Condoleeza Rice 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,” he explained.
Chidambaram went on to detail how he discussed the possibility of retaliatory action with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and other key officials. “The Prime Minister had discussed this even when the attack was going on. And the conclusion was, largely influenced by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Foreign Service, that we should not physically react to the situation,” he recalled.
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**Political Fallout**
Chidambaram’s admission has sparked sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “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.”
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**Policy Critique**
Questions have also been raised about the roles of senior Congress leaders in the decision-making process.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala alleged that Chidambaram was initially hesitant to take over as Home Minister after the attacks and wanted military action against Pakistan but was stopped by others. Poonawala also questioned if influential Congress leader Sonia Gandhi played a part in the decision not to retaliate, asking, “Why was UPA taking orders from her? Why did Sonia Gandhi prevail over the Home Minister?”
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**Response Comparison**
The BJP often contrasts the UPA’s response to the Mumbai attacks with its own handling of terror strikes, citing strong actions such as the surgical strikes in 2016 and the Balakot airstrike in 2019 as examples of a tougher security and foreign policy stance.
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**Background**
The Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008, carried out by Pakistani terrorists, left 175 people dead. One of the terrorists, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive and executed in 2012.
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*This revelation sheds new light on the complexities and international dynamics surrounding India’s response to one of its deadliest terrorist attacks.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/politics/us-stopped-us-chidambaram-s-makes-big-26-11-admission-bjp-responds/story