Asserting that India will not tolerate any “nuclear blackmail”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said operations against Pakistan have only been kept in abeyance and the future will depend on their behaviour. The PM stated that the path to ‘Shanti’ goes through ‘Shakti’ as he announced the ‘new normal’ against terrorism. In his first address to the nation after Operation Sindoor, Modi said that while Pakistan pleaded with India to stop the military offensive, New Delhi considered it only after they promised to stop their misadventure. The Prime Minister termed the Pahalgam attack as the most “barbaric face of terrorism”, saying it was personal pain for him, but the enemy has now realised the consequences of removing “sindoor from the forehead of our women”. Addressing the nation, Modi said Operation Sindoor was not just a name but, through it, the whole world saw India’s resolve turn into action and more than 100 dreaded terrorists were slaughtered.

 

“India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. We have only kept in abeyance our operations against Pakistan, the future will depend on their behaviour. Operation Sindoor is now India’s new policy against terrorism, a new line has been drawn,” he said. PM Modi said India will not see terrorists and their state sponsors separately. “This is not an era of war but it is also not an era of terrorism,” he said. Pakistan has to dismantle its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace, the Prime Minister said. “Pahalgam attack was the most barbaric face of terrorism, it was a personal pain for me. We gave the armed forces full liberty to raze terrorists to dust.

 

The enemy has now realised the consequences of removing ‘sindoor’ from the forehead of our women. Operation Sindoor was not just a name... On May 7, the whole world saw our resolve turn into action,” he said. “When our missiles and drones destroyed terror sites in Pakistan, not only their buildings but their spirit was also demolished. When ‘Nation First’ is our resolve, steely decisions are taken,” he said. Saluting the security forces, PM Modi dedicated their bravery to mothers, sisters and daughters of this country. Pakistan slumped into gloom after the Indian attack on terror camps, “but they dared to attack us rather than helping fight terrorism. More than 100 dreaded terrorists were slaughtered in the Indian attack”, Modi said.

 

“The entire world saw how Pakistani drones were downed by our military might. India has struck at the heart of Pakistan, our missiles attacked with precision to damage their air bases,” he said. In a special video address to the nation, PM Modi sent a strong warning to Pakistan, saying: “Terror and talk, terror and trade and water and blood cannot flow together. Talks with Pakistan will only be held on terror.” Referring to Buddha Pournima being observed on Monday, he said the day signifies peace, but India will not hesitate from using its strength to establish peace. He saluted the Armed Forces and said the Government could take strong decisions because of its policy of “Nation First”.

 

Warning that Pakistan will be destroyed by its own terror infrastructure, the Prime Minister said that “we struck terror hubs in the heart of that country and also destroyed its defence facilities when it attacked us instead of joining our war against terror that eliminated 100 terrorists”. Earlier in the day, PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting with top government functionaries, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and NSA Ajit Doval to assess the gains from Operation Sindoor. The meeting took place at the Prime Minister’s residence in the national capital. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and all three service chiefs - General Upendra Dwivedi, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh - attended the meeting. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka, and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Ravi Sinha were also present in the meeting.

 

The high-level meeting came two days after India and Pakistan arrived at an understanding for a ceasefire with a decision that the DGMOs of both sides would talk to each other on May 12. The ceasefire was sought by Pakistan after facing massive airstrikes by the Indian Air Force that destroyed 11 of its airbases. The meeting also came ahead of DGMOs of India and Pakistan talking to each other on hotlines around 5 p.m. on Monday to discuss the continuation of the ceasefire and the steps to further de-escalate tensions.