India as a country will have to assume it's righteous place in the world order to protect its citizens from terrorism. This needs a drastic change in the country's mindset, global security policies and accountability on the part of politicians. 

Here are a few suggestions to Prime Minister Singh: 
a)R&AW should be given a deadline to take down the Most-Wanted Terrorists of India - Dawood Ibrahim, Maulana Masood Azhar and others in covert operations instead of begging the Pakistanis to hand them over. The deadline is 1 year. 
b)India should have spy drones patrolling POK(Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) and unilaterally shoot down any terror camps or suspected terror camps. 
c)India should open its Kabul embassy full strength and put down a few thousand Indian troops and intelligence officials on ground and conduct operations from an "India-centric" approach in Afghanistan rather than the Global War on Terror. 
d)Comprehensive Anti-Terror Law framed by the ruling and opposition parties within 4 weeks and set up a special court with retired supreme court judges to expedite cases brought up against suspected terrorists. 
e)Not be ashamed to ask the latest arms and ammunitions to fight terrorism and urban warfare from U.S. and U.K. to bring the brave Indian commandos up to speed on the above skills and also training them alongside SWAT and private agencies like Blackwater. 

There are more things that can be done to avoid this type of tragedy or atleast be better prepared to respond to it to minimize the loss of human life. If I'm approached my anybody in the Indian government for my help, I would be happy to provide the same.