Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on Monday night, followed by his visit on Tuesday to the Indian Air Force’s frontline Adampur base near the Pakistan border in Punjab, came as a reassuring gesture to a nation grappling with an atmosphere of volatility and conflict. His message was clear and firm: India will respond to terrorism with a renewed sense of clarity and resolve. Modi reiterated India’s revised strategic stance—one that no longer buys Pakistan’s oft-repeated narrative that terrorist outfits operating from its soil are non-state actors beyond the control of the state. This shift in policy, which began with the 2016 surgical strikes and was later reinforced by the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, now finds continuity in Operation Sindoor, which remains underway. Importantly, Modi emphasized that while India remains open to diplomatic dialogue with Pakistan, it will only be on two critical issues—the persistent cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan, and the status of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This underscores a shift from symbolic diplomacy to issue-based engagement grounded in hard realities. The Prime Minister also affirmed India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, a move that signals India’s willingness to re-evaluate long-standing agreements in light of changing geopolitical circumstances. Though Modi did not directly address U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that the recent thaw was brokered by the U.S. administration, he made it unequivocally clear that India’s future course of action will be solely guided by national interest. His visit to Adampur—barely 100 kilometers from the border and home to India’s Russian-built S-400 air defense system—was symbolic yet strategic. It not only dismissed Pakistan’s claim of having inflicted damage on the base during recent escalations but also sent a strong message of India’s operational readiness and resilience. However, this strategy must remain immune to populist sloganeering and the sensationalism of prime-time media battles. India’s larger national interests cannot be reduced to the spectacle of television ratings or public frenzy. Quiet diplomacy and covert operations may lack the theatrics of media warfare, but they are often the most effective tools for achieving strategic goals. While India must not be unnerved by Pakistan’s nuclear sabre-rattling, it is time for New Delhi to lead a new global discourse—alongside other responsible nations—on the risks posed by nuclear weapons. The threat of a nuclear confrontation is too grave to be ignored, and it must be brought into the realm of global deliberation. India has historically resisted third-party intervention in its bilateral affairs with Pakistan. However, this should not deter it from mobilizing international opinion against Pakistan’s use of terrorism as state policy and its nuclear brinkmanship. India must shape a global consensus that terrorism and nuclear blackmail have no place in a civilized international order. In a time of heightened uncertainty, Prime Minister Modi has articulated a vision rooted in strategic firmness and national dignity. What remains crucial now is to execute this vision with composure, foresight, and an unwavering commitment to India’s long-term security and sovereign interests.
