Economic Sanctions as an Option to Fight Pakistan Sponsored Terrorism

Nuclearisation of the Indian subcontinent limits conventional military options available to India for punishing Pakistan’s employment of terrorism as a tool of state policy. While India has rightly balanced the use of diplomatic and limited military means over a period of time, even as these remain relevant, the option of economic sanctions deserves deeper analysis for its efficacy and impact. Economic measures can be undertaken both in the form of direct and indirect actions against a target country, individual or an organisation with varied degrees of impact. The US sanctions against Iran are an apt case study, which were successful to a large extent. This article discusses the reasons for the same while underlining contextual differences in the Indian scenario. It further provides options for placing economic sanctions against Pakistan, along with the challenges and potential for impact in each case, thereby providing policy alternatives that can be explored.