In his first address to the nation after Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said while Pakistan pleaded with India to stop the military offensive, New Delhi considered a ceasefire deal only after they promised to stop their misadventure.

Modi said India’s aggressive action prompted Pakistan to look for “ways to escape" and, after they realised they were badly beaten, they contacted the director general of military operations (DGMO) on May 10.

“…After India’s aggressive action, Pakistan started looking for ways to escape. Pakistan was appealing to the world to reduce tensions and after being badly beaten, the Pakistani army contacted our DGMO on the afternoon of May 10," Modi said. “By then, we had destroyed the infrastructure of terrorism on a large scale and the terrorists were killed. Therefore, when Pakistan said that it would not show any further terrorist activity and military audacity, India also considered it…"

He sternly warned Pakistan that India will not succumb to nuclear blackmail and sent a clear message to the world: terror and trade, terror and talks cannot go together.

“Operation Sindoor is India’s new policy against terrorism. We have only kept in abeyance our operations against Pakistan and the future will depend on their behaviour," he said in the 22-minute address.

The Prime Minister also had an advice for Pakistan’s rulers. “The terrorists they have been feeding and nurturing all these years will swallow Pakistan itself. If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to root out terrorism. This is not an era of war, but this is also not the era of terror," he said.

He further said Operation Sindoor was not just a name but, through it, the whole world saw India’s resolve turn into action and more than 100 dreaded terrorists were slaughtered.

“Pakistan has to dismantle its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace… When our missiles and drones destroyed terror sites in Pakistan, not only their buildings but their spirit was also demolished. When ‘Nation First’ is our resolve, steely decisions are taken," he added.

Pakistan slumped into gloom after the Indian attack on terror camps but they dared to attack us rather than helping fight terrorism, Modi said.

“The entire world saw how Pakistani drones were downed by our military might. India has struck at the heart of Pakistan, our missiles attacked with precision to damage their air bases," he added.

PTI