India Won't Differentiate Between Terrorists And Those Supporting Them: PM

Pakistan's sleep continues to remain disturbed as it witnessed the valour and precision of the Indian forces and large scale destruction during Operation Sindoor that was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday. 

He also said India will not differentiate between terrorists and those supporting them and that Indian armed forces will decide on punishment in case of any future misadventure from the neighbouring nation.

"What the Indian armed forces have done during Operation Sindoor was not seen in many many years. We have set a new normal in dealing with cross-border terrorism, he said. I salute our brave soldiers who punished those behind the Pahalgam attack beyond their imagination," the Prime Minister said, as he addressed the nation on the occasion of Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

"Pakistan's sleep is still disturbed. The destruction inflicted by our armed forces in Pakistan was so widespread that new revelations are being made every day. I salute our brave soldiers who punished masters of terror beyond their imagination," he added. 

Operation Sindoor is a powerful testament to the valour and precision of our forces, Mr Modi said. "After April 22 (Pahalgam attack), we gave the armed forces free hand to respond to the terrorists. Our military will decide the time and give a fitting response to all acts of terror," he said.

"Our forces set a precedent unseen for many decades. They attacked hundreds of kilometres into enemy territory and turned the terrorist headquarters to dust," he added, referring to the destruction of terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)'s destruction in Pakistan's Bahawalpur, besides training camps elsewhere. 

Under Operation Sindoor undertaken by the three defence forces on the border, India targeted terrorist and military facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from May 7-10 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

PM Modi's strong remarks on the nuclear threat were in response to Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's nuclear threat as well as offensive comments against India by several Pakistani leaders,including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

In an address to Pakistani diaspora in Florida's Tampa last week, Mr Munir reportedly said that Pakistan could use its nuclear weapons to take down India and "half the world" in case his country faced an existential threat in a future war with India.