The North News
New Delhi, July 29
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today affirmed that no world leader asked India to halt Operation Sindoor, countering opposition allegations that India agreed to a ceasefire with Pakistan under pressure from the United States. Modi stated it was Pakistan that appealed for a halt, saying it could no longer withstand India’s offensive. He added that during a phone conversation with the U.S. Vice President on May 9, India made its position clear: should Pakistan launch an attack, India would respond with overwhelming force.
Modi told Parliament that the call from the U.S. Vice President came while he was in a high-level meeting with India’s top defence officials. “I received multiple calls. When I returned them, I was informed that Pakistan may escalate. My answer was simple—if they strike, they will pay,” he said.
That night and into the morning of May 10, India carried out a heavy retaliatory strike targeting Pakistan’s military infrastructure. “We struck with intent and precision. Their positions were dismantled. They now know that every Indian response will be stronger than the last,” Modi said, adding that Operation Sindoor remains “active and resolute.”
He told the House that Pakistan’s surprise was evident on television screens across the border. Eventually, the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations contacted India’s DGMO to plead for an end to the offensive, reportedly stating that further damage was unsustainable.
Modi described the operation as a well-calculated, limited action aimed at neutralising terror infrastructure without escalating into full-scale conflict. “Our objective was precise—destroy terrorism and its backers. We acted with restraint, in coordination with our armed forces, and on the basis of strategic clarity,” he said.
He also issued a warning about modern hybrid warfare and the use of AI-generated disinformation. “New-age propaganda is aimed at eroding our soldiers’ morale and sowing public distrust. Sadly, some opposition parties are amplifying Pakistan’s narratives,” Modi claimed.
The Prime Minister criticised opposition leaders for questioning India’s military achievements in the past. After the 2016 surgical strikes, he said, they demanded evidence. “When public sentiment backed the army, they changed tack—claiming their governments had done similar strikes. One said three, another said fifteen,” he noted.
Modi also referred to the 2019 Balakot air strikes, which targeted a terror camp deep inside Pakistan, and the capture of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. He said the opposition raised doubts about his return while Pakistan celebrated his capture. “There were whispers here—‘Modi is in trouble.’ But we brought Abhinandan home with honour. Those voices fell silent,” he said.
Modi further stated that after the Pahalgam attack, when a BSF soldier was taken captive by Pakistan, certain groups believed they had gained a major opportunity to corner the government. He highlighted that their ecosystem spread numerous narratives across social media—raising speculative questions about the soldier’s fate, his family’s condition, and the likelihood of his return. He emphasized that despite these attempts, India responded with clarity and dignity, dispelling misinformation and reaffirming its commitment to protecting every soldier.
Stating that the BSF soldier captured after the Pahalgam incident also returned with honour and dignity, Modi remarked that terrorists were grieving, their handlers were grieving—and seeing them, some individuals within India appeared to grieve as well. He observed that during the surgical strikes, attempts were made to play political games which failed to gain traction. During the air strike, similar attempts were made, but those too collapsed. He noted that when Operation Sindoor took place, critics shifted their stance again, first refusing to acknowledge the operation, then questioning why it was stopped. He commented that those opposing always seek a reason to object.
Highlighting that the Opposition has long displayed a negative attitude towards the armed forces, the Prime Minister pointed out that even during the recent commemoration of Kargil Vijay Diwas, the Opposition neither celebrated the victory nor acknowledged its significance. He remarked that history is witness to the fact that during the Doklam standoff, while the Indian forces displayed courage, Opposition leaders were secretly seeking briefings from questionable sources.
The Prime Minister further expressed astonishment that the Opposition appeared to give a clean chit to Pakistan. He questioned the demand raised by the Opposition for proof that the Pahalgam terrorists were Pakistani nationals, noting that this is the same demand being made by Pakistan itself. He remarked that such habits and audacity persist within Opposition, echoing external narratives. The Prime Minister remarked that today, with no shortage of evidence and facts plainly visible before the public, certain individuals still continue to raise doubts. He questioned how these individuals would have reacted if such clear proof had not been available, implying that their responses would have been even more misleading or irresponsible.
Underlining that while discussions often focus on one part of Operation Sindoor, Modi there are moments of national pride and demonstrations of strength that also deserve attention. He praised India’s air defence systems, noting that they are widely acknowledged across the world and that they had dismantled Pakistan’s missiles and drones “like straw.” He cited data that on 9 May, Pakistan attempted a major offensive involving approximately one thousand missiles and armed drones targeting India. The Prime Minister emphasized that had these missiles landed, they would have caused widespread destruction. Instead, India’s air defence neutralized all of them mid-air. He stated that this achievement fills every citizen with pride.
Criticizing that Pakistan spread false reports about an attack on the Adampur airbase and attempted to widely promote that lie, Modi stated that he personally visited Adampur the very next day and exposed the falsehoods on ground, making it clear that such misinformation would no longer succeed.
The Prime Minister criticized that the current Opposition has governed India for a significant period and is fully aware of how administrative systems function. He expressed concern that despite this experience, they consistently refused to accept official clarifications. Shri Modi noted that whether it is a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, repeated responses from the External Affairs Minister, or clarifications from the Home and Defence Ministers, the opposition refuses to trust them. He questioned how a party that has ruled for decades could show such lack of faith in the nation’s institutions, asserting that opposition now seems to operate according to Pakistan’s remote control, with its stance shifting accordingly.
