In the past few days, we have witnessed both the strength and the restraint of our nation. First of all, I salute the brave forces of India—our armed forces, our intelligence agencies, our scientists—on behalf of every Indian citizen. Our courageous soldiers displayed immense valor in achieving the objectives of Operation Sindoor. I dedicate their bravery, their courage, and their gallantry to every mother, every sister, and every daughter of this country.

The barbarity shown by terrorists in Pahalgam on April 22 shook not only the nation but the world. Innocent civilians enjoying their holidays were mercilessly killed—questioned about their religion and murdered in front of their families, in front of their children. This was an extremely gruesome face of terror and a cruel attempt to break our social harmony. Personally, this attack caused me immense pain.

After this terrorist attack, the entire nation—every citizen, every community, every political party—stood together in one voice demanding strong action against terrorism. We gave our armed forces full freedom to eliminate the terrorists. And now, every terrorist and every terror outfit knows the consequences of attempting to wipe the vermilion (sindoor) from the foreheads of our sisters and daughters.

Operation Sindoor is not just a name—it reflects the emotions of millions of Indians. It is an unwavering pledge to justice. On the night of May 6 and the morning of May 7, the entire world saw this pledge transform into action. India’s armed forces carried out precise strikes on terrorist camps and training centers inside Pakistan. The terrorists never imagined that India could take such a bold decision. But when the nation is united, filled with the spirit of Nation First, and the country is supreme, then decisions made are ironclad—and results are delivered.

When Indian missiles and drones struck terror bases in Pakistan, not only did the terrorist infrastructures crumble, but their morale was shattered too. Terror hubs like Bahawalpur and Muridke have long functioned as universities of global terrorism. Major terror attacks across the world—be it 9/11, the London Tube bombings, or attacks in India over decades—have had links to these very bases. Because terrorists dared to shatter the vermilion of our sisters, India dismantled these terror headquarters.

In our strikes, more than 100 dangerous terrorists were eliminated. Many terror masterminds who had been openly roaming in Pakistan for two and a half to three decades, plotting against India, were neutralized in one decisive stroke.

Pakistan was gripped by utter despair, frustration, and panic after India’s action. In its frenzy, it committed yet another reckless act. Instead of supporting India’s anti-terror actions, Pakistan began attacking India—targeting our schools and colleges, gurudwaras, temples, and civilian homes, and even our military installations. But in doing so, Pakistan only exposed itself.

The world saw how Pakistan’s drones and missiles crumbled like straw before India’s powerful air defense systems. They were destroyed in the skies. Pakistan had planned attacks at the border, but India struck deep into Pakistan’s heart. Our drones and missiles precisely hit their targets, damaging airbases that Pakistan was proud of. Within the first three days, India caused such destruction that Pakistan couldn’t have imagined.

Following India’s aggressive action, Pakistan began seeking escape routes. It started appealing globally to de-escalate tensions. After being badly defeated, on the afternoon of May 10, the Pakistani army contacted our DGMO. By then, we had already destroyed a large part of the terrorist infrastructure, eliminated many terrorists, and turned their terror nests in Pakistan into ruins.

When Pakistan pleaded and said it would refrain from further terrorist and military provocations, India took this into consideration. But let me reiterate—we have only paused our counteroffensive on Pakistan’s terrorist and military establishments. In the days to come, we will evaluate Pakistan’s every move based on its behavior.

India’s three armed forces—Air Force, Army, and Navy—as well as our Border Security Force and paramilitary units, remain on high alert. After surgical strikes and air strikes, Operation Sindoor now defines India’s new counter-terrorism policy. It has set a new benchmark—a new normal.

First—if India is attacked by terrorism, we will give a resounding response—on our terms, in our way. We will take tough action at the very roots of terrorism, wherever they may be.

Second—India will not tolerate any kind of nuclear blackmail. Even if terror camps hide behind nuclear threats, India will strike with precision and decisiveness.

Third—we will not differentiate between a government that harbors terror and the terrorists themselves. During Operation Sindoor, the world saw Pakistan’s ugly truth once again—how senior Pakistani military officers rushed to bid farewell to slain terrorists. This is strong evidence of state-sponsored terrorism. We will continue to take decisive steps to protect India and our citizens from every threat.

We have defeated Pakistan every time on the battlefield, and this time Operation Sindoor has added a new dimension. We demonstrated our prowess in deserts and mountains, and also proved our superiority in new-age warfare. During this operation, the credibility of our Made-in-India weapons was firmly established. The world now recognizes that the time for Made-in-India defense equipment in 21st-century warfare has arrived.

Our unity against all forms of terrorism is our greatest strength. Certainly, this era is not of war—but neither is it the era of terrorism. Zero tolerance against terrorism is the guarantee of a better world.

The way the Pakistani army and government are nurturing terrorism will one day destroy Pakistan itself. If Pakistan wants to survive, it must dismantle its terror infrastructure. There is no other path to peace. India’s stand is absolutely clear—Terror and talks cannot go hand in hand. Terror and trade cannot go together. Water and blood cannot flow together.

I also want to say this to the global community—our declared policy remains: if talks are to happen with Pakistan, they will only be on terrorism. And if talks happen with Pakistan, they will be about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). – editor@nrifocus.com