Won’t tolerate nuclear blackmail, terror, talks can’t go together: PM Modi
PM Modi said Operation Sindoor was now India’s policy against terror and added that the early morning strikes on “universities of terror” marked a new normal
Terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and blood and water cannot flow together, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he underlined a paradigm shift in India’s relationship with Pakistan and added that New Delhi won’t tolerate nuclear blackmail.
In his first public remarks since India struck nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir on May 7, Modi said Operation Sindoor was now India’s policy against terror and added that the early morning strikes on “universities of terror” sponsored by Islamabad marked a new normal.
Modi also said that the eventual cessation of hostilities, announced on Saturday evening, came about after Pakistan was decimated militarily and came pleading for a ceasefire. But he categorically stated that Operation Sindoor was not yet over.
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“We have only paused our retaliatory action against terror and military bases in Pakistan. In the coming days, every step taken by Pakistan will be monitored ... .any terror attack will get a befitting response, on our terms, in our way,” Modi said in an address to the nation.
He said India’s drones and missiles inflicted severe damage to Pakistan’s military bases and terror sites, forcing Islamabad to try and save itself, and beg the international community to ease tensions.
“After suffering heavy losses, Pakistan’s army contacted our DGMO on the afternoon of May 10. By then, we had destroyed the infrastructure of terrorism on a large scale…when Pakistan appealed and said that it will not indulge in any sort of terror activities or military audacity further, India considered it.”
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The 22-minute address also held a message for the world community that assumed significance against the backdrop of the US and Pakistan saying that bilateral talks at a neutral venue were part of the ceasefire agreement – something that New Delhi has consistently underplayed.
“I want to tell the world community that our stated policy is that if talks with Pakistan happen, then it will only be on terror. If the talks happen, then it will only be on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir,” Modi said.
He said India’s armed forces and border security personnel were on alert and underlined three policies against terrorism going forward.
First, he said every terror attack against India will receive a strong response. “We will respond on our terms, there will be stern action on every place with terror roots.”
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Second, he said New Delhi will not tolerate nuclear blackmail, a reference to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.”India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of nuclear blackmail,” the PM said.
Third, he said India will not make a distinction between governments patronising terror, and terrorists. He pointed out that during Operation Sindoor, the world witnessed Pakistan’s disturbing reality when senior Pakistani military officials openly attended the funerals of terrorists. “This was a big proof of state-sponsored terrorism,” the PM said.
The remarks came two days after India and Pakistan reached an understanding on halting military actions, drawing the curtain on four days of escalating conflict involving drones, missiles and long-range weapons that raised fears of a full-blown war.
In his address, Modi said the past few days saw both India’s capabilities and patience, saluted the armed forces, intelligence agencies and scientists, and dedicated their courage and bravery to the women of India.
“Every terrorist and every terror organisation now know what happens when you wipe the sindoor from the temples of India’s women ....Operation Sindoor was not just a name, it reflected the sentiment of millions of Indians. It was a pledge for justice,” he said.
The remarks were a response to the April 22 terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir, where gunmen shot dead 26 people – all men, 25 of them tourists and 24 Hindu – in what was the worst attack on civilians in the country in roughly two decades. Modi called the attack barbaric and said it was a conspiracy to vitiate India’s communal harmony.
He said in the early hours of May 7, the whole world saw India’s pledge for justice turn into results when the armed forces launched a precise attack on terror bases and training centres. “The terrorists had not thought in their dreams that India could take such a big decision but when the country is together and united, imbued with the feeling of nation first and country above all, then such strong decisions are taken,” he said.
Modi said Bahawalpur and Muridke – the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, respectively – were global universities of terrorism with links to big terror attacks anywhere in the world, including the 9/11 World Trade Centre attacks, the 2005 London Tube bombings and numerous attacks in India.
“The terrorists had wiped out the sindoor of our sisters and India responded by destroying their headquarters. More than 100 dreaded terrorists were killed…Many terrorist bosses roaming freely in Pakistan for the last two-and-a-half to three decades who used to conspire against India were wiped out in moments,” Modi said.
Pakistan was deeply disappointed and frustrated by this action and instead of supporting the fight against terrorism, Pakistan started attacking India itself. “Pakistan targeted our schools, colleges, gurudwaras, temples, houses of civilians and military bases. But Pakistan itself got exposed. The world saw how Pakistan’s drones and missiles fell like straws and India’s strong air defense system destroyed them in the sky,” Modi said.
He said India caused irreparable damage in the first three days itself, forcing Islamabad to plead for ways to escape.
“We have defeated Pakistan every time on the battlefield. And this time, Operation Sindoor has added a new dimension. We have displayed our capabilities in the deserts and mountains and also proved our superiority in new-age warfare. During this operation, the credibility of our made in India weapons were also proven,” Modi said.
“Today the world is witnessing that in 21st century warfare the time has come for Made in India defence equipment.”
Modi said India’s greatest strength against terrorism was its unity. “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,” he said.
He also held out a warning for Pakistan, adding that the way the Pakistani army and government were encouraging terrorism, will destroy Pakistan one day. “If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace,” he said.
Modi invoked the Buddha and said that the path of peace also went through power. “Every Indian should be able to live in peace, and should be able to fulfill the dream of Viksit Bharat (developed India). For this, it is very necessary for India to be powerful. And it is also necessary to use this power when required. And in the last few days, India has done just that,” he said.
