Underscoring that terror and trade could not go hand in hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that while the present age wasn’t one of war, it was also not one of terrorism. “Our greatest strength is our unity against all forms of terrorism. This is certainly not the era of war but this is also not the era of terrorism. Zero tolerance against terrorism is the guarantee for a better world.”
Modi also issued a warning to Pakistan in his first public address since India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, saying New had only suspended Operation Sindoor and was closely watching the actions of Islamabad.
Calling Operation Sindoor “an unwavering commitment to justice,” PM Modi said that by the time Pakistan’s Director General of Military Affairs contacted its counterpart on May 10, Indian armed forces had destroyed the infrastructure of terrorism on a large scale, also eliminating terrorists in the process.
“Therefore, when Pakistan appealed and said that it will not indulge in any sort of terror activities or military audacity further, India considered it”. But, Modi had a word of caution: “I am repeating again, we have just suspended our retaliatory action against Pakistan’s terror and military camps”.
The PM said India will measure every step of Pakistan in the coming days and see “what sort of attitude Pakistan will adopt ahead”. He said that Operation Sindoor is now India’s policy against terrorism, “a new benchmark in our fight against terrorism and has set up a new parameter and new normal”.
PM Modi also sought to clear the air on alleged attempts at nuclear sabre-rattling. Setting out India’s response to terror going forward, Modi said India will give a befitting reply to terrorist act on “our terms”. He also underlined that India won’t tolerate any nuclear blackmail. “India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of nuclear blackmail,” he said.
The PM clearly laid out the fact that encouraging terrorism will destroy Pakistan one day and that if it wants to survive, Islamabad needs to destroy its terror infrastructure. “India’s stand is very clear… Terror and talks cannot go together… Terror and trade cannot go together…. Water and blood cannot flow together,” PM Modi said, asserting that there is no other way to peace.
India retaliated to the Pahalgam attack by hitting 9 terror sites in Pakistan and PoK. Modi said that when India’s missiles and drones attacked terrorist bases in Pakistan, “not only the buildings of terrorist organisations but their courage also was shaken badly”. He called terrorist bases, like Bahawalpur and Muridke the “universities of global terrorism”. The PM drew a link between multiple global terrorist attacks and these terror sites. “The big terrorist attacks of the world, be it 9/11, be it London Tube bombings, or the big terrorist attacks which have happened in India in the last many decades, their roots are somehow connected to these terrorist hideouts,” Modi said.
Spelling out India’s new doctrine in dealing with terror, the PM said that Indid will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism. “During Operation Sindoor the world has again seen the ugly face of Pakistan, when top Pakistani army officers came to bid farewell to the slain terrorists,” he said. Calling this strong evidence of state-sponsored terrorism, Modi said the government will continue to take “decisive steps to protect India and our citizens from any threat”.
Starting his much-anticipated public address, the PM recalled the strength and patience of the country. On behalf of all Indians, Modi saluted the “valiant forces of India, the armed forces, our intelligence agencies, and our scientists”. Dedicating their valour to every mother, every sister and every daughter of the country, Modi said India’s brave soldiers displayed immense courage to achieve the objectives of Operation Sindoor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said terrorists showed the “very gruesome face of terror and cruelty” in Pahalgam, killing 26 people in front of their family and their children on the basis of their religion. This was also a disgusting attempt to break the harmony and unity of the country, Modi said. But, after the terrorist attack, the entire nation, every citizen, every community, every class, every political party, unitedly stood up for strong action against terrorism, he said.
Modi said the government gave full freedom to the Indian forces to wipe out the terrorists in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. “And today every terrorist, every terror organisation knows the consequence of wiping out the sindoor of our sisters and daughters.” (Sindoor refers to the vermillion that married Indian women wear on their forehead). Modi said terrorists wiped out the sindoor of our sisters and India responded by destroying their terrorist headquarters.
The precision strikes of the Indian Armed Forces killed over 100 terrorists. Modi said that many terrorist leaders were roaming freely in Pakistan for the last two and a half to three decades who used to conspire against India. “India killed them in one stroke.”
Recalling that the “path of peace also goes through power,” Modi said that for every Indian to be able to live in peace, and fulfill the dream of Viksit Bharat (developed India), it is very necessary for the country to be powerful. “And it is also necessary to use this power when required,” Modi said, adding that in the last few days, India has done just that.
