Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India would not tolerate “nuclear blackmail” from Pakistan and warned of “decisive” strikes if terror bases continued to thrive under the umbrella of Islamabad’s nuclear threat.

Addressing the nation in the aftermath of India’s announcement of the cessation of hostilities, he made it clear that New Delhi had only paused its offensive against Pakistani terror bases and military installations and would not fight shy of similar retaliation in future.

“Koi bhi nuclear blackmail Bharat nahi sahega. Nuclear blackmail ki aad mein panap rahe aatanki thikano par Bharat sathik aur nirnanyak prahar karega (India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of nuclear blackmail),” he said.

Pakistan has often threatened — repeating the ultimatum even in the run-up to Operation Sindoor — that it would not hesitate to use its nuclear arsenal against India, and the global community has cited this to call for peace.

Modi on Monday sought to brush this threat aside and articulate a muscular line against terrorism. He said Operation Sindoor was New Delhi’s “new policy” and “new normal” against terrorism, and that India would not hesitate to strike at the heart of terror decisively if its citizens were attacked.

“I repeat again, we have only suspended our retaliatory action against Pakistan’s terrorist and military installations. In the coming days, we will measure every step taken by Pakistan on the criterion of what sort of attitude Pakistan will adopt,” he said.

While President Donald Trump has claimed the US mediated a “ceasefire” between India and Pakistan and nudged them towards talks, Modi emphasised that talks with Islamabad could be held only on the subjects of terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

“Today, I would also like to tell the global community that our stated policy has been: If there are talks with Pakistan, it will be only on terrorism; and if there are talks with Pakistan, it will be only on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, ”Modi said.

“Terror and talks, blood and water, cannot flow together,” Modi added, alluding to India’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.

Modi said senior Pakistani army officers’ attendance of the funeral of terrorists was strong evidence of state-sponsored terrorism. He said India would in future “not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism”.

Pak ‘pleading’

Modi portrayed the sudden decision to halt military offensives as the result of India inflicting heavy damage on Pakistan, and Islamabad pleading with the global community for help and promising to stay off “terror activities” or “military audacity”.

The stoppage of military action had provoked a backlash from far-Right warmongers. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri was forced to lock his X handle after pro-war online trolls spammed his account with threats and abusive remarks, accusing him of treason over India agreeing to cease hostilities with Pakistan.

Modi said India had caused damage beyond Pakistan’s imagination in the first three days of Operation Sindoor.

“That’s why, after India’s aggressive action, Pakistan started looking for ways to escape. Pakistan was pleading to the world to ease tensions,” he said.

By this time, Modi claimed, India had destroyed the infrastructure of terrorism on a large scale and killed over 100 terrorists.

“Therefore, when Pakistan appealed and said that it will not indulge in any sort of terror activities or military audacity further, India considered it,” he said.

Terror threat to Pak

Modi said Islamabad should work towards ending terrorism, else the monster would devour Pakistan.

“The way the Pakistani army, Pakistan government are encouraging terrorism, it will destroy Pakistan one day,” he said.

“If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace.”

Power for peace

Invoking the Buddha on Buddha Purnima, Modi said the path of peace goes through power.

“Every Indian should be able to live in peace and fulfil the dream of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India). For this, it’s necessary for India to be powerful. And it’s also necessary to use this power when required,” he said.

“And in the last few days, India has done just that.”

Modi ended his speech, which lasted less than half an hour, by saluting the armed forces and chanting “Bharat Mata ki jai”.