India will not tolerate nuclear blackmail, talks or trade cannot go along with terror, water cannot flow with blood, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his televised address to the nation on Monday evening, making it clear that Pakistan dismantling its terrorist infrastructure is the only path to peace.
His address came against the backdrop of pressure from the Opposition over whether US Donald Trump announcing the ceasefire between India and Pakistan on Sunday meant India had caved in to pressure for international -- read American -- mediation.
Hailing the operation, Modi said it was not just a military action, but a message that every terrorist who dares to threaten India's peace will pay a heavy price. "Every terrorist now knows the cost of sindoor," the prime minister said, referencing the codename of the strike and its symbolic meaning.
“I dedicate Operation Sindoor to the mothers, sisters and daughters of this nation,” Modi said, adding that India’s patience and strength had been tested but not found wanting. The world witnessed on May 7 how India’s resolve became reality.”
Modi confirmed that Indian missiles struck terror camps in Pakistan, including locations in Bahawalpur and Muridke, which he described as “terror universities”.
He said the strikes were carried out with precision and in accordance with India’s commitment to fight terrorism.
The prime minister also said that the recent attack on pilgrims in Pahalgam had deeply pained him and that innocents were being profiled on religious lines. “We gave a free hand to our forces. Operation Sindoor was our pledge for justice,” he said.
“Terrorists never imagined India would respond in this manner,” he said, asserting that India will continue to defend its sovereignty and protect innocent lives.
PM said that India also hit Pakistan’s air bases in a calibrated operation.
“India’s missiles hit terror targets. We hit Pakistan’s heart,” Modi declared. Rattled by India’s precision strikes, Pakistan responded by targeting civilian areas, including temples and gurdwaras. “Pakistani drones and missiles fell like a pack of cards. Their real face has been exposed,” Modi said.
He added that Pakistan, battered and isolated, sought diplomatic cover. “They looked for an escape route and went crying to the world,” he said.
Modi revealed that a desperate Pakistan Army contacted India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), but by then, “our forces had already demolished their terror bases.”
“We have only halted our operations for now,” the prime minister said, cautioning that India will assess Pakistan’s future actions before making its next move.
“Operation Sindoor was a pledge for justice. It is our emotion and our message to every terrorist—every drop of sindoor comes at a cost,” he asserted.
Hitting out at Islamabad, the prime minister said the Pakistan Army had “honoured a designated terrorist,” calling it a glaring example of state-sponsored terrorism. “For us, terrorists and their backers are one and the same,” he said.He stressed that India had always defeated Pakistan in wars, but now the ideological battle against terrorism must be won too. “This is not just about armies—it is about uprooting an ecosystem,” Modi said.
Calling for self-reliance and unity, he said the time had come for India to strengthen its indigenous defence production. “Made-in-India defence is not a slogan—it is a necessity,” he said. “It is important for us to stay united.”
Modi reiterated that while “this is not an era of war, it is not an era of terror either.” He accused both the Pakistan Army and government of actively nurturing terrorism, and warned that “terror will come back to haunt them.”
Reaffirming India's policy, he said: “Blood and water cannot flow together. Terror and talks cannot go together. Terror and trade cannot go together. We will only talk to Pakistan on two things: terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”
The address comes two days after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea with immediate effect.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting, which included defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, ahead of a scheduled talk between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.
NSA Ajit Doval, chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan and all three service chiefs were among those who attended the meeting.
The prime minister has been holding regular meetings with top government and defence officials at his residence in New Delhi during the conflict, short of war, to review the military response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which killed 26 people mostly tourists.
PM Modi had directed the armed forces that Indian retaliation to any action by the Pakistani military should be "bigger and stronger".
"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, according to news agency PTI.