NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — In a firm and emotionally charged address to his nation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a blunt warning to Pakistan, asserting that India will no longer tolerate “nuclear blackmail” and that the recent halt in military operations should not be mistaken for peace.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the launch of Operation Sindoor—a coordinated military response to the May 7 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 Hindus dead—Modi said the offensive was paused only after Pakistan “pleaded” for a cessation and promised to cease provocations.
“India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. We have only kept in abeyance our operations against Pakistan. The future will depend on their behavior,” Modi said during the 22-minute televised speech. He emphasized that Operation Sindoor marks a strategic shift in India’s counter-terror policy: a move from restraint to active deterrence.
“Operation Sindoor is now India’s new policy against terrorism—a new line has been drawn,” Modi declared.
The Prime Minister described the Pahalgam attack as “the most barbaric face of terrorism India has witnessed in years. Fighting back emotion, he called the killings a “personal pain,” saying the perpetrators attempted to erase “sindoor from the forehead of our women”—a cultural reference underscoring the symbolic and emotional weight of the tragedy.
India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting multiple terror launchpads across Pakistan-administered Kashmir. While the Indian government has not released detailed casualty figures, defense sources have indicated to several outlets that the strikes were “highly successful” in neutralizing threats near the Line of Control (LoC).
During his speech, Modi also sent a clear message to the international community and foreign policy watchers: future talks with Pakistan will not cover bilateral issues as usual, but will be strictly limited to terrorism and the status of Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PK).
“If we talk to Pakistan, it will be about terrorism only. It will be about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” he said, in what analysts call a significant shift in diplomatic posture.
His remarks suggest that India’s strategic patience has given way to a more muscular policy framework—one that includes proactive strikes and publicly drawn red lines. Modi added that any future terror strike on Indian soil will invite a “strong response,” reiterating a stance that has found favor among national security hawks.
“The era of restraint at the cost of our people is over. India stands united, and India stands ready,” the Prime Minister said, receiving broad support across party lines.
Modi also signaled that India has no intention of lifting its suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, a historic water-sharing agreement with Pakistan. The decision to halt Indian cooperation under the treaty came just a day after the Pahalgam massacre.
“Water and blood cannot flow together,” he said, echoing earlier rhetoric used in the wake of major terror attacks.
While the situation remains tense, observers say India’s message is now clear: any future misadventure by Pakistan, whether direct or via proxy groups, will face a decisive response. With Operation Sindoor, New Delhi appears to have redefined the rules of engagement, placing deterrence and swift retaliation at the center of its security doctrine.
