If there’s another terror attack, India will respond emphatically: PM to forces

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 13, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put Pakistan and Pak-supported terrorists on notice and underscored the paradigm shift in India’s doctrine on terrorism that he announced last night.

Mr Modi warned terror groups and terrorists India’s armed forces would launch formidable counterattacks if faced with a repeat of the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, mostly civilians, were killed by gunmen from a proxy of the Pak-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group.

India’s first military response to Pahalgam was Operation Sindoor - precision air strikes targeting four terrorist bases in Pak and five in Pak-occupied Kashmir. Op Sindoor then extended to the Indian armed forces efficiently neutralising retaliatory missiles fired by Pak.

And Sindoor - India’s first tri-service military mission since the 1971 war with Pak - will remain an active operation to combat terrorists attacks for as long as required, the PM thundered.

"Our intent is clear... if there is another attack India will respond. We saw this during the surgical strikes (after the terror attack on an Army base in J&K’s Uri in 2016) and the Balakot airstrikes (after the 2019 Pulwama attack)...but Operation Sindoor is the new normal."

The Prime Minister’s forceful message was delivered from the tarmac at the Adampur Air Force base in Punjab. The Adampur base played a key role in repelling the missiles and drones fired by Pakistan last week as the two nations traded aerial attacks and counterattacks for 100 hours.

In his speech Mr Modi congratulated and thanked for the armed forces for their defence of the nation, both against Pak’s attacks last week and the many terrorist strikes of the past.

"Every Indian is proud of you... you have written history. I have come for your blessings. You are an inspiration for this and coming generations. I want to salute the Army, Navy and Air Force."

"The terrorists dared us... but you hit them front-on. You wiped out their terror bases and killed 100 terrorists. They have now realised that if they try to attack us, the result will be their destruction...massive destruction," Mr Modi thundered to periodic shouts of ’Bharat mata ki jai’.

But the location choice was more significant than that.

During the 100-hour war Pakistan also launched a disinformation campaign targeting Adampur, claiming missiles from its China-made JF-17 fighters had destroyed the base.

In a big claim, Pak said the expensive and potent Russian-made S-400 missile defence system - one of only three India has at this time - had been destroyed.

India responded with a photo of the PM saluting soldiers at Adampur.

And there was an unharmed and fully operational S-400 in the background.

It was, in fact, the Prime Minister declared, India’s soldiers that had made their Pakistani counterparts bite the dust, and given them "sleepless nights" because of their prowess.