India's Prime Minister Modi Vows Continued Campaign Against Terrorism and Its Supporters

New Delhi. On the occasion of the first anniversary of the fierce military tension between India and Pakistan last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India's campaign against terrorism and all structures that support it will continue with even greater rigor. He clarified that India remains 'as firm as before' in its security-related policies and claimed that those responsible for the Pulwama attack were given a befitting response.

Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighboring countries had deteriorated rapidly on the first anniversary of the deadly attack in the tourist area of ​​Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir last year on April 22. 26 people were killed in the attack, most of whom were Hindu tourists. India had accused Pakistan-backed groups of involvement in the attack, but Islamabad had denied it.

Following that incident, diplomatic tensions and direct military confrontations increased between New Delhi and Islamabad. The situation became even more explosive after India announced on May 7, 2025, that it had carried out targeted military operations on 'terrorist camps' inside Pakistan. Since then, there have been airstrikes, drone attacks, and heavy mortar fire in the border areas between the two countries.

The operation conducted by the Indian Army was named 'Operation Sindoor'. On Thursday, on the occasion of the first anniversary of that campaign, Prime Minister Modi issued a statement saying that India will not back down from its struggle against terrorism.

'Our resolve to defeat terrorism and destroy the entire ecosystem that supports it is even stronger,' he said. Modi recalled the innocent civilians killed in Pahalgam and mentioned that the attackers were given an 'appropriate response'.

The Modi government had used the word 'Sindoor' as a special symbol. The sindoor, a red color worn by Hindu women in their hair after marriage, was linked by the government to the pain of women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam attack, making it a symbol of revenge and national sentiment.

Prime Minister Modi praised the Indian Army and said that the nation will honor the soldiers' 'courage and bravery'. He reiterated his commitment to not compromise on the country's security.

More than 70 people were killed on both sides during the four-day military tension last year. Pakistan had claimed to have shot down five Indian Air Force fighter jets at that time. Islamabad claimed that three of these were state-of-the-art French Rafale aircraft. India has not officially confirmed any damage to its aircraft.

The escalating military tension between the two countries eventually stopped with a ceasefire on May 10. US President Donald Trump first announced the ceasefire through his 'Truth Social' network. Shortly after, both India and Pakistan confirmed the ceasefire.

However, India has since claimed that the ceasefire was not mediated by the US but was achieved through direct dialogue with Islamabad. New Delhi has reiterated its stance that issues related to Kashmir and security should be viewed solely as bilateral matters between the two countries.

Even after a year, India-Pakistan relations have not normalized. Analysts say that tension persists between the two countries due to cross-border terrorism, the Kashmir dispute, and military mistrust. Modi's latest statement is considered to have clearly indicated that India will not change its tough policy on security and terrorism issues.