Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): On his 75th birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Indian military for the success of Operation Sindoor, describing it as a mission that “brought Pakistan to its knees within the blink of an eye.”
The Prime Minister was addressing a public gathering in Dhar on Wednesday when he referred to a recently released confession video of a top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander. The commander admitted that the outfit’s chief, Maulana Masood Azhar’s family, suffered devastating losses during the May 7 operation carried out by Indian forces.
‘This is a new India’
PM Modi drew attention to the video where JeM’s Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, a senior commander, appeared emotional while recalling the aftermath of the strikes.
“Abhi kal hi desh aur duniya ne dekha hai fir ek Pakistani aatanki ne ro ro kar apna haal bataya hai. Ye naya Bharat hai. Ye kisi ki parmanu dhamki se darta nahi hai… Ghar mein ghus ke maarta hai,” Modi declared.
(Just yesterday, the nation and the world saw yet another Pakistani terrorist crying and revealing his condition. This is the new India — one that does not fear anyone’s nuclear threats. It enters their homes and strikes.)
He added that the nation places the highest priority on the security of “Maa Bharati”. “Pakistani terrorists removed the Sindoor of our sisters and daughters. We did Operation Sindoor and destroyed terror camps,” he said, praising the armed forces.
Confession details devastating strike
In the video message that surfaced recently, JeM commander Masood Ilyas Kashmiri admitted that Indian missiles targeted JeM’s Bahawalpur headquarters, inflicting heavy damage and killing several members of Masood Azhar’s family.
“We embraced terrorism… fought Delhi, Kabul, and Kandahar to protect the borders of Pakistan. But after sacrificing everything, on May 7, Maulana Masood Azhar’s family was torn apart by Indian forces in Bahawalpur,” Kashmiri said.
According to intelligence inputs, nine sites linked to JeM were struck on May 7. Among them was Markaz Subhan Allah, the group’s central base, which was destroyed during the operation. A WhatsApp message circulated the next day by JeM acknowledged the deaths of ten members of Azhar’s family in the attack.
Operation Sindoor’s significance
Operation Sindoor has been hailed as a landmark counter-terror strike by India, directly targeting the core of JeM’s operations across the border. Security experts note that the precision strikes not only disrupted the terror group’s infrastructure but also dealt a symbolic blow to its leadership.
The operation is being seen as part of India’s doctrine of pre-emptive and retaliatory action against terror threats, showcasing the country’s willingness to take decisive steps in defence of national security.
A message of deterrence
By citing the commander’s emotional admission, PM Modi underscored India’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism. His remarks sought to reinforce the message that New Delhi will continue to respond forcefully to any attempts to harm Indian citizens.
As the Prime Minister put it, Operation Sindoor was a reminder that “this is the new India” — one that will not hesitate to act against terrorism, regardless of nuclear threats or warnings from across the border.