New Delhi, May 12 — In an emotionally charged address to the nation, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi spoke with heartfelt resolve and clarity on the recent Operation Sindoor, a decisive counter-terrorism initiative that he said embodied not just military might, but the collective emotion and will of the Indian people. Speaking via videoconference, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the country’s armed forces, intelligence community, and scientists, praising their courage and precision in defending the dignity and safety of the nation.
Reflecting on the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where innocent civilians, including families and children, were targeted and murdered in cold blood, the Prime Minister’s voice carried the grief and fury of an entire nation. He recounted how the terrorists not only took innocent lives but also tried to break the spirit of India by targeting women and families during a moment of peace. This, he said, was not just an act of violence, but an affront to humanity and an attack on India’s soul.
With unwavering conviction, Prime Minister Modi declared that India could not stand by. What followed, he said, was a clear and just response. Operation Sindoor was launched not merely as a military mission but as a moral commitment to the mothers, sisters, and daughters of the nation—a solemn pledge that such horrors would not go unanswered. On May 6 and 7, India’s armed forces struck with precision, destroying terrorist training camps and hideouts deep within Pakistan. These strikes were not acts of aggression, he explained, but necessary steps in defending national integrity and human dignity.
The Prime Minister revealed that over 100 known terrorists were neutralized in the operation, including long-standing enemies of the Indian state. Locations that had long served as the nerve centers of global terror—places tied to attacks from New York to London and across India—were reduced to rubble. In doing so, India made it unmistakably clear that it would no longer tolerate the use of neighboring soil to target its people.
The retaliation was swift and strategic. While Pakistan attempted to respond by launching attacks on civilian spaces—including schools, places of worship, and homes—India’s advanced air defense systems repelled them with efficiency. According to the Prime Minister, Pakistan’s long-boasted military infrastructure was badly damaged, its morale shattered, and its desperation laid bare. As Indian forces maintained pressure, Pakistan’s military eventually reached out to negotiate a de-escalation. By that time, the Prime Minister said, India had already achieved its mission of dismantling significant parts of the terror network across the border.
Yet, this is not the end, the Prime Minister cautioned. India remains vigilant, monitoring every move, prepared to act if any threat arises again. Operation Sindoor, he stated, has become a new chapter in India’s strategic doctrine—one that sets clear lines for how the nation will respond to acts of terror in the future. The pillars of this doctrine include decisive retaliation, zero tolerance for nuclear threats, and an end to the artificial separation between terrorist groups and the governments that support them.
In his speech, Prime Minister Modi did not shy away from calling out the deep-rooted links between terrorism and the Pakistani establishment, pointing to how top military officials had attended funerals of slain terrorists. He warned that if Pakistan truly desires peace, it must dismantle its terror infrastructure completely, for there can be no peace while terrorism thrives. There can be no dialogue, he said, until terrorism ends—and any future talks with Pakistan will solely focus on terror and the return of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Throughout the address, the Prime Minister’s tone was firm but deeply human. He emphasized that India’s power lies in its unity and resilience, and that its strength must always serve the cause of peace. On the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima, he recalled the teachings of Lord Buddha—that peace must be protected by strength, and that humanity must move forward with compassion, courage, and a shared dream of progress.
In concluding, the Prime Minister saluted the Indian armed forces once more and thanked the citizens of India for their unity, patience, and support. He reassured the nation that justice had been served, and that India, guided by its values and strengthened by its people, would continue to walk boldly and peacefully on the path to a Viksit Bharat.