Enemy now aware how ‘sindoor’ turns into ‘barood’: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised the armed forces for compelling Pakistan to succumb during Operation Sindoor and said adversaries–and indeed the entire world–now understand the consequences when “sindoor” turns into “barood” (gunpowder).

“India’s strikes on Pakistan lasted 22 minutes and destroyed nine major terrorist hideouts in a meticulously executed operation. This action demonstrated the nation’s strength, proving that when the sacred ‘sindoor’ turns into ‘barood’, the outcome is definitive,” the PM said at a rally in Rajasthan’s Bikaner. Before his speech, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the stone for several infrastructure and development projects totalling Rs 26,000 crore.

Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, he said while the bullets were fired in J&K, their “impact pierced the hearts of 140 crore Indians”. The incident, he said, had united the nation in grief and in its resolve to defeat terrorism.

Drawing a parallel, Modi said five years ago following the Balakot airstrike, his first public rally was in Rajasthan. “After Operation Sindoor, it’s Rajasthan again, which reaffirms the state’s tradition of valour and patriotism,” he said.

In a veiled reference to Pakistan, he said those who once believed India would remain silent were now hiding, while those who flaunted their firepower now lied buried under the rubble. He emphasised that Operation Sindoor was “not a mission of revenge, but a manifestation of a new form of justice”.

The PM said it was a demonstration of the country’s unwavering resolve and not merely an expression of anger. He said the country had adopted a bold new approach of “confronting the enemy directly and decisively”.

“Crushing terrorism is not just a strategy but a principle; this is the new India…. The country will no longer be intimidated by nuclear threats, nor would it distinguish between terrorist masterminds and the governments that harbour them,” he said, rejecting Pakistan’s longstanding narrative trying to differentiate between state and non-state actors.

Highlighting international efforts to expose Pakistan’s role in promoting terrorism, Modi said seven delegations comprising politicians and foreign policy experts had fanned out across the globe to put forth India’s stance.

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