Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared the success of Operation Sindoor, a military operation targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, signaling a "new normal" in India's approach to counter-terrorism. The operation, launched in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, has redefined India's counter-terrorism strategy, emphasizing a policy of zero tolerance.
In a videoconference address, PM Modi condemned the Pahalgam attack, where terrorists killed civilians after questioning their faith. He described the act as an attempt to fracture India's harmony and expressed the nation's resolve to combat terrorism. Modi stated that every terrorist now knows the consequences of harming Indian citizens, dedicating the operation's success to the armed forces and the unity of the people.
Operation Sindoor, executed on May 6-7, involved precise missile and drone strikes on terrorist hideouts and training centers in Pakistan, including hubs in Bahawalpur and Muridke, linked to global attacks. The operation eliminated over 100 terrorists, dismantled infrastructure, and shattered morale. Modi asserted that India destroyed the headquarters of terror.
Pakistan retaliated by targeting Indian civilian and military sites, but India's air defense systems neutralized these attacks. Indian drones and missiles 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 said that India had drawn new red lines on terror emanating from Pakistan and underlined that India had just suspended Operation Sindoor because Pakistan rushed to the world after suffering damage and that it would closely watch the activities of Pakistan. “We have set a new normal,” Modi said, asserting: “Operation Sindoor is our policy against terror. If there is a terror attack on India, we will hit back. We will take stern action at every place from where the roots of terror spring forth."
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. Modi reaffirmed India's resolve to build a strong, prosperous, and peaceful Viksit Bharat, stating that zero tolerance against terrorism is the guarantee of a better world.
Global media coverage of PM Modi's speech on Operation Sindoor spotlighted India's assertive tone, warnings against nuclear blackmail, and declaration of a "new normal" in its counter-terrorism approach. The Washington Post highlighted Modi's caution to Islamabad that India has only "paused" its military action and will retaliate on its own terms if there is any future terror attack. The Japan Times emphasized Modi's assertion that Operation Sindoor "has struck a new line in the fight against terror, a new yardstick, a new normal," and his response to nuclear blackmail.
India has called Pakistan's nuclear bluff, dismantling the myth that Pakistan's nuclear weapons grant it immunity as it exports terrorism. From surgical strikes in 2016 to the Balakot airstrikes in 2019 and now Operation Sindoor, India has shown that proxy wars will carry a price.
Vice Admiral A N Pramod said that the Indian Navy remained in full readiness on the Arabian Sea in response to Pakistan and was ready to strike select targets, including Karachi, as part of Operation Sindoor.
