India’s external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, has assured that Operation Sindoor is in full swing as an assertive warning to terrorists based in Pakistan. The operation, initiated on May 7 against the brutal April 22 terror strike at Pahalgam that murdered 26 civilians, focuses on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani-occupied regions. Jaishankar emphasized that India will act firmly if another similar attack occurs again, reaffirming India’s new offensive strategy towards cross-border terrorism.
In an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar reiterates that the May 10 agreement to suspend military operations was a bilaterally agreed-upon understanding after Indian strikes made the Pakistani military settle for a ceasefire. Interestingly, he ruled out any role played by the United States in facilitating this understanding or in future negotiations with Pakistan, making India’s position clear on direct bilateral talks.
Operation Sindoor: A Message Beyond Ceasefire
India’s precision strikes as part of Operation Sindoor targeted nine terror locations selected by the United Nations. The strikes were directed at destroying terror infrastructure that conducted the Pahalgam massacre on behalf of Pakistan-based LeT proxy, The Resistance Front. Jaishankar emphasized, “The operation continues because there is a clear message in that operation – that if there are acts of the kind we saw on April 22, there will be a response, that we will hit the terrorists.”
If the terrorists are in Pakistan, we will hit them where they are. So, there is a message in continuing the operation but continuing the operation is not the same as firing on each other. Right now, there is an agreed cessation of fighting and military action,” he added.
While the operation continues, Jaishankar explained that to continue the operation does not necessarily imply continuous firing from the army. Rather, there is an abiding agreement of cessation from active combat. In response to whether the operation was in cold storage, he replied, “Put whatever word you want to, but I can tell you the message is clear and the message is act.”
Strong action by the Indian government was required following the savage terror attack that introduced elements of religion deliberately to cause unrest. Jaishankar commented, “The combat was initiated by a very savage terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 were killed before their families, after ascertaining their religion.” He continued, “Deliberately, there was an element of religion brought in. On the Pakistani side, you have a Pakistani leadership, driven by a far-right religious orientation.”
Bilateral Settlement and India’s Sovereign Status
The ferocity of the confrontation between India and Pakistan continued for four days, with drones, missiles, and long-range artillery. On May 10, however, the turning point, India struck eight Pakistani airbases, making them non-operational by targeting the runways and command structures. This firm retaliation forced the Pakistani army to accede to the demand to stop firing. Jaishankar stated, “Now what has happened is that, at the moment, there is no firing and there’s been some repositioning of forces accordingly.”
Despite international appeals to cool down, Jaishankar reiterated that India managed things bilaterally without any external agency. He averred, “We made one thing very clear to everybody who spoke to us. If the Pakistanis want to stop fighting, they need to tell us. We need to hear it from them. Their general has to call up our general and say this. And that is what happened.”
Furthermore, India strictly confines its conversation with Pakistan to halting terrorism and securing the return of illegally occupied Kashmir regions. Jaishankar strongly declared, “The borders in Kashmir are not on the table because Kashmir belongs to India.”
Security and Economic Prosperity: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Jaishankar also addressed concerns that border tensions hinder India’s economic development. He stated, “Our security issues were much more threatening than yours [Europe’s], so we had to prioritize security. You don’t prioritize between security and economic growth. Today, you are realizing that they are from the same coin.”
India’s policy also indicates that ensuring national security is a necessary condition for economic growth and stability that can endure. The government’s response also conveys that it will not accept acts that endanger its citizens or sovereignty.
