Army chief Upendra Dwivedi (PTI photo)
NEW DELHI: Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday delivered a strong message to Pakistan and terror outfits operating from its soil, declaring that India’s recent counterterror offensive, Operation Sindoor, was “just a trailer” and that the country is fully prepared for future challenges.His clear warning to Pakistan comes days after a car blast in the vicinity of historical Red Fort in New Delhi.
Addressing the Chanakya Defence Dialogue, the Army chief said India would deal equally with terrorists and those backing them. “When a country encourages state-sponsored terrorism, it becomes a matter of concern for India. India talks about progress. If someone creates obstacles in our course, then we will have to take some action against them.””When we talk about the new normal, we have said that talks and terror can’t go together. All we are asking is to adopt a peaceful process, which we will cooperate with. Until then, we will treat terrorists and their sponsors alike. We will respond to those who encourage terrorists. Today, India is so accomplished that it is not scared of any blackmail attempts,” he said.Speaking about Operation Sindoor, he added, “Operation Sindoor was just a trailer which ended in 88 hours. We are prepared for any circumstances in future. If Pakistan gives a chance, we will teach it how to behave responsibly with a neighbouring nation…” The Army chief further noted that modern conflict requires coordination across several platforms, saying, “In today’s time, battles are multi-domain. We cannot say how long it will last. We have to ensure we have supplies to last long.”Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir. India later launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, destroying multiple terror hubs and air bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.The standoff eased only after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations initiated talks for a peace agreement. However, India has maintained that the operation is in a paused state, not fully terminated, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi having warned that any future “act of terror” would be treated as an “act of war.”