The North News
New Delhi, May 12
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8pm on Monday in what is being seen as a crucial post-conflict message following the launch of Operation Sindoor and the declaration of a fragile ceasefire with Pakistan. This will be Modi’s first public statement since Indian armed forces launched a sweeping cross-border campaign in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. Over the weekend, senior military officials provided a rare joint briefing outlining the scope and results of the operation, which unfolded between 7 and 10 May.
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations, said Indian strikes had eliminated 35 to 40 Pakistani soldiers and more than 100 militants across the Line of Control (LoC). Among those killed were three high-profile targets: Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudasir Ahmed—figures allegedly linked to both the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
In what officials described as a highly coordinated assault, India’s military deployed air, ground, and naval forces to hit nine identified terror camps. “We achieved total surprise,” said Ghai, who displayed satellite imagery showing flattened structures across the LoC.
Air Marshal AK Bharti of the Indian Air Force said the skies were tightly defended. “Some Pakistani jets were shot down when they attempted to violate our airspace,” he noted, although he declined to specify numbers. “Our objectives have been achieved. All our pilots have returned safely.” On the maritime front, Vice Admiral AN Pramod described the naval role as decisive but restrained. “Our forces maintained complete maritime domain awareness. The response was measured, proportionate and responsible,” he said. “We were fully capable of offensive action from and at sea.”
Despite a ceasefire agreed through a military hotline on 10 May, India accused Pakistan of violating the deal within hours, with drone incursions and fresh firing on the western front. Ghai said Indian forces responded “robustly,” and added that field commanders now have clearance from the Chief of Army Staff to launch immediate retaliatory strikes if provoked again.
