Told defence to bite the bullet, unleash hellfire on terrorists: PM Modi
New Delhi: Issuing a stern warning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday declared that India “will not bow to any form of nuclear blackmail”, making it clear in his first national address since the India-Pakistan ceasefire that “Operation Sindoor” has only been “paused… and not halted”.
Stating that India was keeping Pakistan under “close watch”, Prime Minister Modi warned that “any misstep will invite serious consequences”. He said firmly: “Terror and talks cannot go hand in hand, terror and trade cannot coexist.”
Defending India’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, Modi said: “Water and blood cannot flow together.” The Prime Minister declared: “Operation Sindoor is the new normal”, and added: “Operation Sindoor is India policy against terror.” He said “Operation Sindoor is not just a name, it is a reflection of the sentiments of our people”.
Addressing the global community, he reiterated India’s long-standing policy that any discussions with Pakistan will focus solely on terrorism and any negotiations with Pakistan will centre around Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Prime Minister emphasised that India’s armed forces — the Army, Air Force, Navy, Border Security Force (BSF) and paramilitary units — remain on high alert, ensuring national security at all times.
Reaffirming his stance that “this era is not one of war”, the Prime Minister, in the same vein, asserted that it cannot be one of terrorism either. “Zero tolerance against terrorism is the guarantee of a better and safer world,” he said, adding that unity is India’s greatest strength in the fight against all forms of terrorism. He said that if Pakistan seeks survival, it must dismantle its terror infrastructure — there is no other path to peace.
On the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the PM invoked Lord Buddha’s teachings and stressed that the path to peace must be guided by strength. The Prime Minister asserted that for India to uphold peace, it must be strong, and when necessary, that strength must be exercised. “Recent events have demonstrated India’s resolve in safeguarding its principles,” he added.
The Prime Minister outlined three key pillars of India’s security doctrine — firstly the “decisive retaliation”, when any terrorist attack on India will be met with a strong and resolute response. India will retaliate on its own terms, targeting terror hubs at their roots.
“The second is “no tolerance for nuclear blackmail”; India will not be intimidated by nuclear threats. Any terrorist safe haven operating under this pretext will face precise and decisive strikes. The third pillar being “no distinction between terror sponsors and terrorists”; India will no longer see terrorist leaders and the governments sheltering them as separate entities,” he said.
The Prime Minister told the nation that after India’s aggressive counter-measures, Pakistan began seeking ways to de-escalate, appealing to the global community for relief from rising tensions.
The PM pointed out that during “Operation Sindoor”, the world once again witnessed Pakistan’s disturbing reality — senior Pakistani military officials openly attending the funerals of eliminated terrorists, proving Pakistan's deep involvement in state-sponsored terrorism. He reaffirmed that India will continue taking decisive steps to safeguard its citizens against any threat.
Strongly condemning the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam, he said it had shocked both the nation and the world and termed the act as a gruesome display of terror, where innocent civilians enjoying their holiday were brutally killed after being questioned about their faith -- right in front of their families and children. The Prime Minister stressed that this was not just an act of cruelty but also a vile attempt to fracture the nation’s harmony. Expressing his deep personal anguish over the attack, he highlighted how the entire nation — every citizen, every community, every section of society, and every political party --stood united in demanding strong action against terrorism.
Asserting that the government had given the armed forces full freedom to eliminate the terrorists, he warned all terrorist organisations, declaring that they now fully understand the consequences of attempting to harm the dignity of the nation's women.
The Prime Minister noted the Indian armed forces executed precise strikes on terrorist hideouts and training centres in Pakistan, delivering a decisive blow. He said that the terrorists never imagined India would make such a bold move, but when the nation stands united with “Nation First” as its guiding principle, firm decisions are taken and impactful results are delivered.
He further stated that India's missile and drone strikes on terrorist hubs in Pakistan shattered not only their infrastructure but also their morale. The Prime Minister pointed out that locations like Bahawalpur and Muridke had long operated as centres of global terrorism, linking them to major attacks worldwide, including the 9/11 attacks in the US, the London Tube bombings, and decades of terrorist incidents in India.
“Since terrorists had dared to destroy the dignity of Indian women, India had eliminated the headquarters of terror. The operation resulted in the elimination of over 100 dangerous terrorists, including key figures who had openly plotted against India for decades,” he said, adding that those who orchestrated threats against India had been swiftly neutralised.
Modi remarked that India’s precise and forceful strikes had left Pakistan in deep frustration, pushing it into desperation. “In its agitation, Pakistan resorted to a reckless act instead of joining the global fight against terrorism -- it launched attacks on Indian schools, colleges, gurdwaras, temples, and civilian homes, also targeting military bases,” he said.
The Prime Minister mentioned how this aggression exposed Pakistan’s vulnerabilities, as its drones and missiles crumbled like straw before India’s advanced air defence systems, which neutralised them in the sky.
“While Pakistan had prepared to strike India’s borders, India delivered a decisive blow to Pakistan’s core. Indian drones and missiles executed highly accurate strikes, severely damaging Pakistani air bases that it had long boasted about. Within the first three days of India’s response, Pakistan suffered destruction far beyond its expectations,” he said.
He revealed that after suffering severe losses, Pakistan’s military reached out to India’s DGMO on the afternoon of May 10. “By then, India had already dismantled large-scale terrorist infrastructure, eliminated key militants, and reduced Pakistan’s terror hubs to ruins,” the Prime Minister said. Modi further noted that Pakistan, in its appeal, assured that it would cease all terrorist activities and military aggression against India.
“In light of this statement, India reviewed the situation and decided to temporarily suspend its counter-operations against Pakistan’s terrorist and military installations,” said and reiterated this suspension is not a conclusion: India will continue to assess Pakistan’s every move in the coming days, ensuring that its future actions align with its commitments.
