The floods in both sides of the divided Kashmir region, and also in the Punjab province of Pakistan, have claimed nearly 400 lives. There have been heart-wrenching scenes of hundreds being stranded, displaced and separated from their loved ones in an unfolding tragedy. In the face of this natural disaster, rescue operations in India are coming under increasing attack as the pace and reach are being questioned by hundreds of anguished victims who wait to be rescued. That the Jammu and Kashmir state government, despite its claims of efficiency, has not been able to galvanise itself and deploy speedier measures, perpetuates the Indian reality of a weak state apparatus that often fails to rise to the challenge effectively. Last year’s devastating floods in the state of Uttarakhand exemplify this truth. For the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, this disaster is a test of their administrative ability. Both Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif face their biggest challenge in their new tenures and their handling of this crisis and its aftermath will speak volumes about their ability to go beyond the theatre of politics and demonstrate true leadership qualities. The thousands affected on both sides of the border are relying on them for help and succour.