New Delhi: India has called Pakistan’s nuclear bluff with Operation Sindoor and sent a psychological message to state-sponsored terrorists: nobody is untouchable and no place in Pakistan is safe for you, government sources said on Sunday.
India has also set a “new normal” in response to Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism through the operation and Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the armed forces that Indian retaliation to any action by the Pakistani military should be “bigger and stronger”, they said.
“Wahan se goli chalegi, toh yahan se gola chalega (If they fire bullets, we will respond with cannons),” one of the sources quoted PM Modi as saying following the Pakistani actions.
Operation Sindoor is not concluded yet and the cost of cross-border terrorism will be raised as Pakistan can’t continue with terrorism while expecting cooperation in areas of its choosing, the sources said.
When asked whether Operation Sindoor managed to fulfil the prime minister’s instructions, a senior government source said, “Markaz ko mitti mei mila diya hai; age ka bhi dekhenge”. He was referring to precision strikes on nine terrorist training sites and headquarters on the early morning of May 7.
Asked how many more terror centres remain in Pakistan, another source posed a counter question: How big is Pakistan, implying the country is a hotbed of terrorism. The sources also emphasised that the confrontation never reached the stage of a nuclear conflict which has been the greatest fear and threat used by Pakistan, whose military is vastly smaller than India’s.
The new normal
However, the nuclear deterrence has given it some amount of parity, they said. “We have called their nuclear deterrence bluff. We take the nuclear threat seriously, but it cannot serve as cover for Pakistan to come and do terrorism in our country,” said a senior source. “The new normal is that the Line of Control will not protect you; the international border will not protect you; the nuclear threat will not protect you,” the source said.
“The message that has been sent is that no matter where you are in Pakistan, we will hit you. On this occasion, we have gone after the head of the snake and not foot soldiers,” it said.
The sources said Indian action demonstrated its new approach to kill terrorists within Pakistan. “It showed our approach of ‘ghar me ghus ke marenge’ (kill them within their home),” said a source.
India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure early on May 7, following which Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.
The Pakistani actions were strongly responded to by the Indian side by inflicting heavy damage to a number of key Pakistani military installations, including air bases, air defence systems, command and control centres and radar sites.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday evening announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect.
“The actions taken by India are aimed at creating and setting a new normal in the relationship with Pakistan. “Pakistan and the world will have to get used to this new normal because India has had enough,” said a source.
India will never accept mediation in the Kashmir issue: Sources
The sources said that India will never accept mediation in the Kashmir issue and the only matter to discuss is Pakistan returning the territory which is under its illegal occupation.
They made it clear that the Indus Waters Treaty will be in abeyance as long as terrorism sponsored by Pakistan against India continues. “The cost of terrorism has increased. The Indus Waters Treaty is linked to cross-border terrorism and it will be held in abeyance as long as terrorism from Pakistan continues,” the source cited above said.
The sources said when Pakistan tried to attack Udhampur, the response was what the prime minister had promised and eight Pakistani air bases were demolished.
Pakistan changed its tune immediately after India hit their air bases, the sources said, adding the next morning, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to say Pakistan has understood.
India’s position after the May 7 strikes on terror infrastructure was that if Pakistan fires, India will respond more forcefully, they said.
After the Pahalgam attack, India had told countries that reached out to New Delhi it would hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan territories.
At the height of the conflict, PM Modi told US Vice President J D Vance that “if Pakistan does anything, our response will be very very strong”, the source said.
In a related development, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi has given full authority to the Army commanders for counter-action in the kinetic domain to any violation of the understanding reached between the Indian and Pakistani militaries. “Consequent to the ceasefire and airspace violations on the night of May 10-11, the Chief of Army Staff reviewed the security situation with the Army Commanders of the Western Borders,” the Army said.
The Army Chief “has granted full authority to the Army Commanders for counteraction in the kinetic domain to any violation of the understanding reached vide the DGMO talks of May 10,” it said.
