Indian Army, Navy send cryptic messages on X hinting at war readiness

Shortly after the gruesome attack on tourists in the holiday destination of Pahalgam, south Kashmir, on 22 April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the armed forces to be on high alert — a call he reiterated two days later in an impassioned speech in Madhubani, Bihar. There, he vowed to track down the perpetrators of the massacre and their handlers. Now, cryptic posts from two wings of the Indian armed forces suggest preparations for retaliation, moving beyond the hardline diplomatic measures India has so far employed — including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, cancellation of visas for Pakistani nationals, and reduction of staff at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

At 8:12 am on Saturday, the Media and Public Information arm of the Indian Navy posted on X: “Power in unity; Presence with Purpose,” accompanied by hashtags such as #MissionReady and #AnytimeAnywhereAnyhow.

Within hours, at precisely 11:19 am, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information of the Indian Army posted a similarly terse message: “Always Prepared, Ever Vigilant – #IndianArmy.”

Both posts quickly went viral on the social media platform, drawing a wave of comments praising the forces for their bold and succinct messaging.

While rare, such brief posts follow India’s declared resolve to punish those responsible for the attack, and come on the heels of an all-party meeting that reportedly authorised the government to take suitable punitive action against Pakistan for its role in sponsoring terror and waging low-intensity conflicts against India.

New Delhi’s position was further bolstered by strong backing from the United States. Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence, offered unconditional support to India’s efforts to hunt down the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 Hindu tourists were brutally killed after their religious identity was confirmed. According to analysts, Gabbard’s public endorsement significantly raised India’s confidence to pursue retaliatory actions without the hesitations of the past, when international pressure often tempered its response to terror attacks.

Gabbard posted on X:

“We stand in solidarity with India in the wake of the horrific Islamist terrorist attack, targeting and killing 26 Hindus in Pahalgam. My prayers and deepest sympathies are with those who lost a loved one, PM @narendramodi, and with all the people of India. We are with you and support you as you hunt down those responsible for this heinous attack.”

Her remarks are seen by experts as a sharp departure from the traditional American response to terror strikes on Indian soil.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce had also taken a firm stance when questioned by a Pakistani journalist about Indo-Pak border tensions, stating:

“I am not going to be remarking on it… I will say nothing more on that situation. The President and the Secretary have made their positions clear.”

Both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have since condemned terrorism unequivocally and expressed strong solidarity with India.

Indian security agencies have identified Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its chief, Hafiz Saeed, as the masterminds behind the Pahalgam attack, executed through its proxy outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF).

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