Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address in Alipurduar, West Bengal, marked the first public rally since the launch of Operation Sindoor and served as a powerful reaffirmation of India’s resolve to counter terrorism decisively. Speaking before a large audience, the Prime Minister declared that Operation Sindoor is far from over, emphasising that India had already struck Pakistan “three times inside its home.”

This statement is widely interpreted as referring to India’s surgical strikes in 2016 following the Uri attack, the Balakot air strikes in 2019 after the Pulwama bombing, and the recent cross-border operations under Operation Sindoor.

Modi’s speech was deeply emotive, invoking the cultural significance of Sindoor (Vermilion) in Bengali tradition as a symbol of dignity and strength for Indian women. He highlighted the outrage felt across the country after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, in which 26 people—mostly tourists—were killed.

The attack, carried out by the Pakistan-based group The Resistance Front (an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba), had a profound impact, with Modi asserting that the terrorists’ attempt to “wipe away the Sindoor of our sisters” was met with a resolute military response that underscored India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.

The Prime Minister underscored that Operation Sindoor was a direct response to the Pahalgam attack and was executed with precision, targeting terrorist infrastructure across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

While India maintained that its strikes were focused solely on terror hubs and not on military or civilian targets, Pakistan retaliated with drone and missile strikes on Indian military installations, which were largely intercepted by India’s robust air defence systems. The conflict escalated rapidly, with both sides launching strikes and counter-strikes before a ceasefire was brokered through diplomatic channels involving U.S. officials.

Modi used the platform to issue a stern warning to Pakistan, accusing its military establishment of institutionalizing terrorism and mass murder. He asserted that whenever Pakistan has engaged in open conflict, it has faced defeat, and that India will continue to extract a “heavy price” from those who sponsor terror.

The Prime Minister also drew parallels between Pakistan’s current behaviour and its historical actions, notably referencing the atrocities committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

Modi’s address was a clear articulation of India’s strategic shift toward proactive counter-terrorism operations, emphasizing that the country will not hesitate to act decisively inside enemy territory to dismantle terror infrastructure and uphold national security and dignity.

Operation Sindoor, while having already delivered significant blows to terrorist networks, is presented as an ongoing campaign, signalling India’s readiness to respond to future provocations with force and determination.

Based On A PTI Report