Op Sindoor ‘new normal’ against terror, will watch Pak actions: Modi

Operation Sindoor has set a “new normal” in India’s fight against terrorism and it will strongly respond to any fresh attack without succumbing to nuclear blackmail, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday in his first address to the nation after the May 7 strikes on terror bases in Pakistan.

Modi said Operation Sindoor has only been suspended and every step taken by Pakistan will be watched to see if it is fulfilling its obligations under the ceasefire agreement that came into effect at 5 pm on May 10. “I am repeating so that the entire world can understand that the military action is only suspended. In the days ahead we will see watch Pakistan’s actions closely,” he said.

Spelling out the changes in India’s response to terrorism post the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, the Prime Minister said India will act on its terms and not accept support to terrorism in the shadow of nuclear blackmail. He also said India will not distinguish between terrorist organisations and governments that support terrorism.

The Pime Minister thanked the Indian armed forces, the Border Security Force and scientists involved in defence activities on behalf of the nation for the punishing blows they inflicted on Pakistan. He said Pakistan not expected such resolute action. “Pakistan was preparing for a land war but we attacked it heart, our missiles and drones launched pin point attacks on the air bases they are proud of,” he said. “After taking a beating, Pakistan called our DGMO on May 10 afternoon” he said.

The Prime Minister’s detailed description of India’s military success was intended to quell doubts over whether India had agreed to a ceasefire too soon – a sentiment expressed by some right wing handles on social media. He buttressed his arguments that Pakistan had been punished heavily by underling that action is only paused and can recommence if Pakistan fails to learn the right lessons.

Modi said talks with Pakistan can only be on the subject of terrorism and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. “Terrorism and talks cannot go hand in hand, terror and trade are not possible and water and blood cannot mix,” he said. He recalled his comment in the context of the Ukraine war that this is not the “era of war” but added that “This is not the era of terrorism either. There will be zero tolerance of terrorism.”

Though he made no reference to United States President Donald Trump’s claims on having mediated and asked India and Pakistan to “stop” and held out the threat that no trade would be possible if fighting continued, Modi’s comments, however, make it amply clear India is fully prepared to renew military action against Pakistan if it does not stop supporting terrorism.

There are no “conditionalities” in India agreeing to a ceasefire the continuance of which wholly depends on Pakistan’s actions. The ceasefire, the Prime Minister said, is a limited agreement intended to end the exchange of fire and Pakistan needed to act against terrorist groups. “Only if it acts against terrorist infrastructure will it survive…these groups will destroy the country otherwise,” he said.

The Prime Minister began by recalling the brutality of the Pahalgam killings where innocent tourists were killed after being asked to state their religion in front of their families. He said the incident shook the country and the world and caused him a lot of pain. The retribution of the heinous incident was carried on late May 6 night-early May 7 when India struck several terror hubs in Pakistan.

Modi said the terror attack unified the nation and resulting in an iron will to act against terrorism. “The planners of the attack did not even dream that India will show the will to carry out such strikes. But that is what happens when a nation displays the capacity to take steely decisions (fauladi faisle),” the Prime Minister said.

Modi said naming the military action as “Operation Sindoor” was a deliberate choice. “Terrorists tried to wipe out the sindoor of our women, we uprooted their universities of terror,” the Prime Minister said, referring to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terror headquarters at Muridke and and Bahalwalpur.

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