In the worst ever terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since militancy erupted in 1989, a suicide bomber on Thursday rammed his SUV packed with explosives into a CRPF bus on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama district, killing at least 44 troopers and leaving the security established stunned.

The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the horror and released a video clip of the suicide bomber, a 'commander' identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, which it claimed was shot before the young man carried out the strike in Lethpora.

While precise details of the attack were still unclear, police sources said the suicide bomber-driven SUV came along the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bus when a 78-vehicle convoy carrying 2,547 security personnel was going from the transit camp in Jammu to Srinagar and rammed it into the bus around 3.15 pm, triggering a deafening explosion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the perpetrators will have to pay a heavy price and the forces have been given a free hand. The foreign secretary has met foreign envoys from at least 25 nations including the Chinese ambassador to apprise them of the attack.

VP Malik, former chief of the army staff general; Sharat Sabharwal, former Indian ambassador to Pakistan; Ajai Sahni, founding member of Institute for Conflict Management and South Asia Terrorism; Sasha Riser-Kositsky, global strategic analyst at Eurasia Group, and Einar Tangen, political and economic affairs commentator, discussed whether India’s diplomatic offensive will work and the country can come up with a long term policy to prevent such attacks.

Malik said, “It is very tragic, very serious incident that has taken place and it is the first of its kind. We have had even fidayeen attacks earlier, but the manner in which this particular attack took place, that is quite different. It just goes to show how well planned it was and the new tactics which are being adopted by the terrorist groups. We have to carry out a detailed investigation as to how it happened, who were involved, why were they involved, how the explosives were collected, how the vehicle was prepared and how the fidayeen was prepared."

Sahni said, “There is only one terrorist formation in this region and that is the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). It decides who is to be put forward and projected, it decides who is to be pushed back. The Jaish-e-Mohammed had been completely marginalised. There were very limited operations by them in Jammu and Kashmir. They have been enabled, they have been empowered, they have been pushed forward by the ISI to now take central role in Jammu and Kashmir."

Sasha Riser-Kositsky said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the number of countries condemning this attack go up into the 190s. The problem lies in Islamabad and changing their behaviour is very difficult. I would assess that Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this instance will support some sort of limited military retaliation to bolster his popularity ahead of the election and make it look like he is doing something.”

Einar Tangen said, “The initial statement from the Chinese foreign ministry was quite mild, just clearing that they are against all acts of terrorism. In the coming days though I think Beijing, given that the attack has been attributed and claimed by this terrorist group, will change it stand."