Following the recent upsurge in cross-border terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a firm warning, stating that India will respond emphatically to any future terrorist attacks. This declaration comes in the wake of the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where terrorists brutally killed innocent civilians. In response to this attack, India launched "Operation Sindoor," a decisive military operation targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.
PM Modi, in an address to the nation, condemned the Pahalgam attack as an attempt to fracture India's harmony, expressing the nation's unified resolve to combat terrorism. He asserted that terrorists would now face severe consequences for their actions. Operation Sindoor, executed on May 6-7, involved precise missile and drone strikes on terrorist hideouts and training centers in Pakistan, including notorious hubs linked to global attacks. The operation eliminated over 100 terrorists, dismantled their infrastructure, and shattered their morale.
The Prime Minister revealed that Pakistan retaliated by targeting Indian civilian and military sites, but India's advanced air defense systems neutralized these attacks. Indian drones and missiles then struck Pakistani airbases, causing significant damage. By May 10, Pakistan's military contacted India's Director General of Military Operations, assuring a cessation of terrorist activities.
PM Modi has outlined India's new security doctrine, built on decisive retaliation, no tolerance for nuclear blackmail, and no distinction between terrorists and their state sponsors. He criticized Pakistan's military for supporting terrorists, citing their attendance at militants' funerals as evidence of state-sponsored terrorism. The Prime Minister has made it clear that every terrorist attack on Indian soil will be treated as an act of war and will invite strong retaliation. He emphasized that India will no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail and will not differentiate between terrorists, their supporters, and the governments that harbor them.
India's "Operation Sindoor" signals a strategic shift in its counter-terrorism doctrine, not merely as retaliation, but as a calculated strategy designed to deal with cross-border terrorism. By striking terrorist infrastructure deep within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), India has signaled that cross-border terrorism will no longer be tolerated without a tangible and rising price. This operation was guided by three core objectives: to prevent further terrorist activity, to deter the use of cross-border proxies by Pakistan-based terror groups, and to pre-empt specific threats identified through intelligence.
This marks a strategic inflection point where India is no longer treating terrorism as a standalone security problem, but as a foundational obstacle to normal bilateral relations. Cooperation in areas like water and trade is now explicitly conditional on Pakistan ending support for terror. India has also linked the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) directly to cross-border terrorism, indicating that cooperation under the treaty will be suspended as long as Pakistan backs terrorism.
PM Modi has urged Pakistan to dismantle "terror universities" for its own survival, holding the Pakistani army and government responsible for encouraging terrorism. He stated that Pakistan proved to be no match for the bravery and capabilities of Indian forces and that India's strikes damaged those air bases of the Pakistani air force of which Pakistan was very proud.
The Prime Minister has made it clear that India would not brook any attempt at international mediation and any effort to put Jammu and Kashmir back on the negotiation table. Talks with Pakistan, if any, will only address terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
India's counterterrorism efforts also include strengthening domestic structures and capabilities. The country's federal political system leaves most policing responsibilities to the states, which usually possess their own counterterrorism and intelligence units. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been empowered to investigate major crimes such as terrorism and organized crime without needing to be asked to do so by the states. The Ministry of Home Affairs is also set to formulate a National Counter-terrorism Policy & Strategy to fight the entire 'ecosystem' of terrorism.
