In an address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the success of Operation Sindoor, a decisive military operation targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, marking a new chapter in India’s fight against terrorism. The operation, launched in response to a barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, has redefined India’s counter-terrorism strategy, with the Prime Minister emphasizing a policy of zero tolerance for terrorism.
Speaking via videoconference, PM Modi condemned the Pahalgam attack, where terrorists brutally killed innocent civilians after questioning their faith in front of their families. Describing the act as an attempt to fracture India’s harmony, he expressed the nation’s unified resolve to combat terrorism. “Every terrorist now knows the consequences of wiping Sindoor from the foreheads of our sisters and daughters,” he said, dedicating the operation’s success to the courage of India’s armed forces and the unity of its people.
Operation Sindoor, executed on May 6-7, saw Indian armed forces conduct precise missile and drone strikes on terrorist hideouts and training centers in Pakistan, including notorious hubs in Bahawalpur and Muridke, linked to global attacks like 9/11 and the London Tube bombings. The operation eliminated over 100 dangerous terrorists, including key figures, and dismantled their infrastructure, shattering their morale. “Terrorists dared to wipe the Sindoor from our sisters; India destroyed the very headquarters of terror,” PM Modi asserted.
The Prime Minister revealed that Pakistan, frustrated by India’s strikes, retaliated by targeting Indian civilian and military sites. However, India’s advanced air defense systems neutralized these attacks, and Indian drones and missiles struck Pakistani airbases, causing significant damage. By May 10, Pakistan’s military, reeling from losses, contacted India’s Director General of Military Operations, assuring a cessation of terrorist activities and aggression. India, after dismantling large-scale terrorist infrastructure, temporarily suspended its counter-operations but vowed to monitor Pakistan’s actions closely.
PM Modi outlined India’s new security doctrine, built on three pillars: decisive retaliation against terrorist attacks, no tolerance for nuclear blackmail, and no distinction between terrorists and their state sponsors. He criticized Pakistan’s military for openly supporting terrorists, citing their attendance at militants’ funerals as evidence of state-sponsored terrorism. “Operation Sindoor has set a new benchmark, a new normal,” he declared, highlighting the operation’s role in showcasing India’s prowess in modern warfare and the effectiveness of Made-in-India defense systems.
Emphasizing India’s commitment to peace, PM Modi reiterated that “this is not an era of war, but it is not an era of terrorism either.” He warned Pakistan that continued support for terrorism would lead to its downfall and stressed that any talks with Pakistan would focus solely on terrorism and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). “Terror and talks cannot coexist,” he said, underscoring India’s firm stance.
On Buddha Purnima, the Prime Minister invoked Lord Buddha’s teachings, stating that peace requires strength. He saluted the armed forces, intelligence agencies, and scientists for their role in Operation Sindoor and praised the unity of Indian citizens. “Zero tolerance against terrorism is the guarantee of a better world,” Modi concluded, reaffirming India’s resolve to build a strong, prosperous, and peaceful Viksit Bharat.