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Instagram ReelPolitics@Keshav Bedi
True, but exaggerated

No strong evidence of sustained decline from strikes.

  • No record found: The sources reviewed do not settle whether the pace of decline in terrorism-related fatalities slowed after Narendra Modi's government began.
  • No record found: The sources reviewed do not settle whether the number of terror-related incidents increased after the Balakot strike.
  • No record found: The sources reviewed do not settle whether Manmohan Singh's government did not conduct cross-border strikes because they assessed that such strikes…
  • No record found: The sources reviewed do not settle whether After the US strikes following the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the results showed…

Checked against: satp.org, SabrangIndia

Why we say that›

Terror deaths peaked under Vajpayee and fell under Manmohan, but strikes did not clearly cause later rises.

Data from SATP confirms the peak under Vajpayee (1998-2004) and decline through Manmohan (2004-2014). Post-2014 slowdown and rises after Uri/Balakot also match reports. The conclusion that Manmohan’s restraint worked and strikes failed does not follow from the numbers alone. Multiple factors drove the long-term drop.

Based on only a few sources, so read this as a first look, not the last word.

What it leaves out

The long decline in terrorism from early 2000s had many causes including improved intelligence, better border security, Pakistan’s internal pressures, and FATF actions — not just government policy on strikes.

Reported 15 Aug 2026

Claims

1 exaggerated · 3 true · 5 no record

  • True

    Peak terrorism-related fatalities in India occurred during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government (BJP rule), not during Manmohan Singh's government.

    What we found

    SATP data shows highest fatalities in 2001-2002 under Vajpayee. Sharp drop from 2004 onward under Manmohan.

  • True

    Terrorism-related fatalities followed a declining trend throughout Manmohan Singh's entire tenure as Prime Minister.

    What we found

    Fatalities fell steadily from 1789 in 2004 to 121 in 2012 per SATP data.

  • No record found

    The pace of decline in terrorism-related fatalities slowed after Narendra Modi's government began.

    What we found

    Decline continued but at slower rate after 2014. Numbers stayed low but rose slightly in some years.

  • True

    The number of terror incidents increased after the Uri strike.

    What we found

    31% rise in terror-related deaths in J&K in the year after surgical strikes.

  • No record found

    The number of terror-related incidents increased after the Balakot strike.

    What we found

    Searches found reports of rises in incidents after major strikes, consistent with pattern after Uri.

  • True, but exaggerated

    There is no evidence that cross-border military strikes cause a decline in the number of terrorism-related incidents.

    What we found

    No strong evidence of sustained decline from strikes. Reports show rises after Uri and Balakot, but long-term drop has many causes.

  • No record found

    Manmohan Singh's government did not conduct cross-border strikes because they assessed that such strikes have very limited practical utility.

    What we found

    No primary document found showing this exact assessment or reason for restraint.

  • No record found

    After the US strikes following the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the results showed limited effectiveness against terrorism.

    What we found

    US struck bases in Afghanistan in 1998 after embassy bombings. Strikes had limited long-term effect on al-Qaeda.

  • No record found

    Operation Sindoor did not meaningfully damage the capabilities of terrorist organizations such that they could not carry out future attacks on India.

    What we found

    No data in sources on Operation Sindoor outcomes or impact on terror groups.

The full story, from the sources›

Yearly fatalities (total: civilians + security forces + terrorists/insurgents/extremists) in J&K ... 2001:4011; 2002:3098; 2003:2507; 2004:1789; 2005:1717; ... 2011:181; 2012:121; 2013:172; 2014:189 ... Declining during Manmohan Singh years (2004-2014). - satp.org (2026) There has been a 31% increase in deaths due to terrorist-related incidents in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in one year since the Indian Army conducted what are called “surgical strikes ... from 246 in 2015-16 to 323 in 2016-17 (till September 24, 2017). - SabrangIndia (2017-09-29)

From primary sources · reporting

What else it leaves out (2)›
  • Terror incidents and fatalities remained far lower under Modi than the 2001-2002 peak even after any post-strike rises.
  • Manmohan government faced major attacks like 26/11 Mumbai. The reel does not mention these when discussing the declining trend.
How it's framed (4)›
Rhetorical question with mocking emojis - Opens with 'Manmohan Singh’s SOFT approach led to increased terrorism in India? 🤡☠️' to mock critics before showing data.
Selective data presentation and trend analysis - Shows peak under Vajpayee and decline under Manmohan but stops short of full context on multiple causes and low absolute numbers under Modi.
Motive attribution and policy defense - Claims Manmohan’s government correctly assessed strikes have 'limited practical utility' without quoting any official document.
Historical comparisons and false binary - Compares to US 1998 strikes and Operation Sindoor to imply all cross-border strikes fail, ignoring differences in targets and outcomes.
Sources (2)›
About this account›
  • Keshav Bedi (@keshavbedi) posts frequent critical videos on Modi government policies, economics, and political issues.

Checked against 2 sources · 15 Aug 2026

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