Terrorism is Pakistan's deliberate military strategy, says PM Modi

On the second day of his Gujarat visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the veneer of Pakistan's proxy war on India was lifted the moment Pakistan gave state funerals to terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor.

Addressing a gathering at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, he said the recent incidents proved that it was no longer merely proxy warfare but a deliberate and calculated military strategy of Pakistan. Pointing out that following India's punitive actions, funerals of terrorists were conducted in Pakistan with full honours, their coffins draped in national flags and even saluted by the Pakistani military, clear indicators that these were not isolated militant activities but part of a structured war approach.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, Modi said nine identified terrorist bases were eliminated within 22 minutes, with full transparency ensured through camera documentation, so that no evidence could be questioned domestically.


He further said that following Pakistan's attack in Kashmir after India's independence, Sardar Patel did not want the Indian Army's operations to be stopped until Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was reclaimed. However, Patel's advice was not followed, he said, adding that Pakistan's legacy of terrorism persisted and trained militants continued to infiltrate into India through systematic military training, aiming to target innocent and unarmed civilians, including those undertaking peaceful pilgrimages.

Talking about the Indus Waters treaty, put in abeyance by India as part of measures to punish Pakistan in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, the PM underscored issues related to water resources in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out that although dams were constructed on rivers, proper maintenance and de-silting were neglected for 60 years.

Modi said the gates meant for water regulation were left unopened, leading to a drastic reduction in storage capacity - from full utilisation to merely two-three per cent. Indians must receive their rightful access to water, he said, adding that while significant steps were yet to be taken, initial measures had begun.

Earlier in the day, he held a roadshow in Gandhinagar.