Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India has only “paused” its military action against Pakistan and will “retaliate on its own terms” if attacked, despite a weekend ceasefire that brought a halt to escalating hostilities between the two countries.
In his first public remarks since the conflict flared, culminating in both sides launching missiles at each other’s military bases on Saturday, Modi said he was “monitoring every move Pakistan makes”.
He warned against “nuclear blackmail”, referencing the heightened nuclear tensions during the recent flare-up. He reiterated that any future dialogue with Pakistan would focus solely on terrorism and the status of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
"If another terrorist attack against India is carried out, a strong response will be given," Modi said in his speech on Monday night. "This is not an era of war, but this is also not an era of terror."
However, Modi made no mention of the US role in his address, instead asserting that Pakistan had initiated the ceasefire request, contacting India’s military leadership on Saturday and appealing to the international community for support.
Both Trump and Pakistani officials have credited US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance with brokering the ceasefire after hours of high-level talks with both sides.
Speaking from the White House on Monday, Trump claimed the US had averted a nuclear conflict. “I think it could have been a bad nuclear war—millions could have died. So I’m very proud of that,” Trump said.
Modi in his speech reiterated that any future dialogue with Pakistan would focus solely on terrorism and the status of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Pakistani officials confirmed that, as part of the ceasefire agreement, future talks would be held in a neutral country, with the United Arab Emirates suggested as a possible venue.
By Monday, the ceasefire appeared to be holding. Cross-border shelling along the LoC had ceased, and India reopened 32 airports in the north that had been shut amid rising tensions.
In a joint statement, Indian and Pakistani military officials said both sides had agreed to reduce troop deployments along the border. The Indian army added on Sunday night: “The night remained largely peaceful across Jammu and Kashmir, and other areas along the international border.”
In Kashmir, bomb disposal teams were sent to frontline villages to defuse unexploded ordnance, as tens of thousands of evacuees began returning to their homes.
