New Delhi, May 11
Amid rising hostilities following Operation Sindoor, India on Saturday issued a clear warning to Pakistan: any future terrorist strike on Indian soil will be treated as an Act of War, sources said.
This hardline stance, officials clarified, is not an escalation but a definitive red line drawn in response to Pakistan’s repeated provocations, including sustained drone and missile attacks targeting Indian military and civilian infrastructure.
Under international law, an “Act of War” includes any armed aggression that threatens a nation’s sovereignty, territory, or civilian safety. India’s new posture signals that any future terror incident—regardless of official attribution—will invite full-scale retaliation, even as Pakistan’s political and military leadership continues to talk of de-escalation.
The shift marks a significant departure from India’s earlier approach to cross-border terrorism. New Delhi has now made it explicit: any attack, anywhere in India, will invite a military response.
The statement came hours after Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, which was swiftly neutralised by coordinated Indian strikes across major Pakistani cities and airbases.
In a calibrated response, India hit Pakistan’s air force installations, including Nur Khan Airbase (Rawalpindi), Rafiqi Airbase (Shorkot, Punjab), and Murid Airbase (Chakwal, Punjab), dealing a severe blow to Pakistan’s military capability.
Despite the setback, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, stated on Saturday that Islamabad would “consider stopping here” if India halted further military action. He also expressed hope for dialogue, even as international powers called for restraint.
Indian intelligence, however, remains unconvinced. Fresh intercepts suggest Pakistan continues to sponsor proxy terror networks and has instructed operatives in Kashmir to launch new attacks—possibly including fidayeen strikes—to divert Indian forces stretched across the northern and western frontlines.
“Pakistan is desperate and is goading for a suicide attack to distract our security response,” a source said.
The current crisis was triggered by India’s launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. That same night, Pakistan retaliated with a barrage of drones and missiles targeting Indian cities and bases. The Indian Army and Air Force responded with precision strikes deep into Pakistani territory, hitting key sites in Islamabad, Lahore, and Sialkot.
On the night of May 9, Pakistan escalated by launching six ballistic missiles and multiple armed drones into Indian territory. One Fatah-II missile aimed at New Delhi was intercepted over Sirsa, Haryana, averting a major tragedy. Amid this, the ruling BJP released a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X, hailing India’s decisive military response.
