Operation Sindoor new policy against terror, India will not succumb to nuclear blackmail: PM Modi

New Delhi: In his first address to the nation after Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday sternly warned Pakistan that India will not succumb to nuclear blackmail and sent a clear message to the world: terror and trade, terror and talks cannot go together.

"Operation Sindoor is India’s new policy against terrorism. It is the new normal. We have only kept in abeyance our operations against Pakistan and the future will depend on their behaviour," Modi said in a 22-minute address.

He also had an advice to Pakistan’s rulers: "The terrorists they have been feeding and nurturing all these years will swallow Pakistan itself. If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to root out terrorism."

India will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and terrorists, Modi said, warning of decisive action in case of any misadventure.

"This is not an era of war, but this is not the era of terror either," Modi said, as he paid glowing tributes to the armed forces for successfully forcing Pakistan to plead for peace after eight of their airbases were heavily damaged.

"Any talks with Pakistan can happen only on terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," the prime minister said.

Modi's assertions about not doing trade with Pakistan came minutes after US President Donald Trump said that he told India and Pakistan that his administration will do trade with them only if they end the conflict.

Trump also suggested that the conflict between the two countries could have spiralled into a nuclear war, killing millions of people.

Modi said that while Pakistan pleaded with India to stop the military offensive, New Delhi considered it only after they promised to stop their misadventure.

The prime minister termed the Pahalgam attack as the most "barbaric face of terrorism", saying it was personal pain for him, but the enemy has now realised the consequences of removing "sindoor from the forehead of our women".

Addressing the nation, Modi said Operation Sindoor was not just a name but, through it, the whole world saw India's resolve turn into action and more than 100 dreaded terrorists were slaughtered.

“Pakistan wiped the sindoor off our sisters’ foreheads. We wiped out the universities of terror running in Pakistan,” he said, dedicating the valour of armed forces to mothers, sisters and daughters of this country.

Outlining the ‘new normal’, he said India will give a befitting response to any terror attack on its own terms by targeting the terror havens.

He said, “Secondly, India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. India will launch precise attacks on terror sites being nurtured under the protection of nuclear blackmail.”

Thirdly, he added, the country will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the patrons of terrorists.

"Pakistan has to dismantle its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace," the prime minister said.

With terror infrastructure destroyed in a big way and terror sites left in ruins, India considered stopping military actions after Pakistan said it would desist from any terror or military action, he said.

"The Pahalgam attack was the most barbaric face of terrorism, it was a personal pain for me. We gave the armed forces full liberty to raze terrorists to dust," he said.

"When our missiles and drones destroyed terror sites in Pakistan, not only their buildings but their spirit was also demolished. When 'Nation First' is our resolve, steely decisions are taken," he said.

Pakistan slumped into gloom after the Indian attack on terror camps, "but they dared to attack us rather than helping fight terrorism. More than 100 dreaded terrorists were slaughtered in the Indian attack", Modi said.

"The entire world saw how Pakistani drones were downed by our military might. India has struck at the heart of Pakistan, our missiles attacked with precision to damage their air bases," he said.

Modi reiterated that terror and talks, and terror and trade cannot go together. Blood and water, he added in a reference to India putting in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, cannot flow together.

“I will tell world leaders too that this is our stated policy that if dialogue will occur, then it will be on terrorism and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir,” he said, adding that terror sites targeted by India were also linked to the 9/11 terror attacks in the US and the London tube bombing.

In the broadcast, Modi saluted the armed forces, intelligence agencies and scientists and ended his speech by raising the slogan of “Bharat mata ki jai” three times.

The prime minister lauded the unity shown by the country against the terror attack, which he said was aimed at creating communal divide as well because the terrorists carried out religious profiling of victims. “Our unity is our biggest strength,” he added.

After India eliminated dreaded terrorists roaming freely in Pakistan in one strike, Pakistan sank into despair and attacked India in desperation instead of cooperating in the action against terrorism, he said.

Religious places like gurdwaras and temples, civilians in their homes and military facilities were targeted, he said, adding that Pakistan ended up unmasking itself as the world saw its drones and missiles being brought down like “straws” by India’s air defence system.

He said Operation Sindoor has unveiled a new dimension of India’s capabilities as the armed forces not only put up a "glorious performance in deserts and mountains but also proved their superiority in the new age warfare".

PM Modi said destruction was inflicted on Pakistan beyond its imagination in three days and began pleading across the world for an escape route.

Asserting that India will continue to take decisive steps to protect itself and its citizens, he said indigenous weapons have proved their superiority in the conflict and added that their time has come.

Lord Buddha, whose birth anniversary fell on Monday, showed the path to peace but "it passes through shakti" (power), he said, adding that it is a must for India to be powerful to be peaceful and prosperous.

Using power is also at times necessary for peace and this is what India has done in the past few days, he said.