In a significant shift in policy, India has decided that any future terrorist activity targeting the country will be regarded as an “act of war”, top government sources confirmed on Saturday. This declaration signals a firm stance as tensions with Pakistan reach new heights following a series of cross-border military engagements.
The statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level security meeting at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the three service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces.
The development follows India’s retaliatory strikes on four Pakistani airbases in the early hours of Saturday, in response to Pakistan’s attacks on 26 Indian locations. According to Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, precision airstrikes were executed against military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian. Additionally, radar installations at Pasrur and Sialkot were neutralized.
During a joint media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed the escalating situation. Misri labelled Pakistan’s actions as “provocative and escalatory,” asserting that India responded with restraint but clarity of purpose.
“Pakistan’s actions constitute a deliberate provocation. India’s response was calibrated, precise, and responsible,” said Misri, while also presenting evidence to counter Pakistan’s ongoing disinformation campaign.
Despite the intensity of the exchanges, Indian defence forces effectively intercepted several incoming threats. However, airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda suffered varying degrees of damage, and several personnel were injured.
Pakistan’s firing of high-speed missiles at Punjab’s airbase station around 1:40 AM, along with alleged targeting of civilian infrastructure including hospitals and schools near airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur, drew strong condemnation from Indian officials.
Addressing misinformation, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh refuted Pakistan’s false claims regarding the destruction of major Indian defence assets. “There has been no damage to the S-400 system at Adampur, nor to airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, or to BrahMos facilities at Nagrota. These are baseless allegations aimed at eroding public confidence,” she said.
Cross-border shelling and heavy artillery exchanges continued in multiple sectors along the international boundary and Line of Control (LoC) throughout Saturday, as the region remains on high alert.
India’s firm declaration that terror acts will now be equated to acts of war underscores a policy recalibration that could have far-reaching strategic implications.
