"Operation Sindoor: A New Doctrine in India's War on Terror" - PM Modi
In a landmark shift in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation to announce the success and strategic significance of Operation Sindoor, a decisive military offensive against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Launched in response to the brutal Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 innocent lives, Operation Sindoor marked a bold escalation in India's resolve to combat state-sponsored terrorism. Modi declared the operation not just a military campaign, but a doctrinal shift and a policy reset, reinforcing that India would strike hard and deep into enemy territory if any citizen was harmed.
PM Modi revealed that over 100 terrorists, including key figures who had long plotted against India, were eliminated in the precision strikes involving cruise missiles and drones. These strikes targeted deeply entrenched terror hubs in Bahawalpur and Muridke—locations Modi referred to as "universities of global terrorism" due to their links to major global attacks such as 9/11 and the London Tube bombings. The Prime Minister emphasized that India would no longer differentiate between terror outfits and the governments that shelter them, reiterating that "terror and talks, terror and trade cannot co-exist."
In a direct rebuttal to Pakistan’s "nuclear blackmail," Modi stated that such threats would not deter India. He lauded the Indian armed forces for their unmatched valor and effectiveness, highlighting how Indian air defense systems successfully neutralized retaliatory drone and missile attacks from Pakistan. The Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, BSF, and paramilitary forces have since remained on high alert.
The Prime Minister also disclosed that Pakistan, reeling from unexpected damage to its air bases and terror infrastructure, contacted India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on May 10 to halt all hostilities. Modi clarified that India has currently suspended, not ended, Operation Sindoor—sending a strong message that any future attack will be met with similar force. He further noted that this was India’s most effective retaliation to date, even more impactful than the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
The speech, made on Buddha Purnima, drew on the symbolism of peace through strength. Modi dedicated the operation’s success to the women of India, vowing that any attempt to "remove the sindoor" from their heads—a metaphor for harming the dignity and security of the nation—would invite swift justice. “Operation Sindoor is the unbroken pledge for justice,” he proclaimed.
The Prime Minister concluded by reiterating that India had redrawn the red lines on terrorism. Going forward, any act of terror emanating from Pakistan will not go unanswered. Operation Sindoor has not only reshaped India’s counter-terrorism playbook but also signaled a new normal in regional security dynamics.
