Operation Sindoor: PM Modi To Address Nation at 8 PM Following Ceasefire

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation at 8 PM today, marking his first public statement since the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The announcement comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, India’s large-scale military retaliation launched on May 7.

Background of Operation Sindoor

Operation Sindoor was carried out in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, where 26 people were killed. Among the victims were 24 Indian tourists, one Nepali national, and a local pony handler who died heroically trying to save a tourist during the attack.

The perpetrators, linked to Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, were accused of religious profiling before opening fire. Investigations confirmed that three out of five attackers were Pakistani nationals. A Lashkar proxy later claimed responsibility for the brutal assault.

India’s Diplomatic and Military Response

The Indian government responded swiftly through diplomatic and military channels:

Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty

Cancellation of visas issued to Pakistani nationals

Closure of the Attari-Wagah border

On May 7, Indian forces launched coordinated strikes on nine terror bases located across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation:

Destroyed Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed command centers

Eliminated approximately 100 terrorists, including those involved in the 2019 Pulwama attack and the 1999 hijacking of IC 814

Among the key targets killed were:

Mudassar Khadian Khas and Khalid (alias Abu Akasha) of Lashkar-e-Taiba

Mohammed Yusuf Azhar, Hafiz Mohammed Jaleel, and Mohammad Hassan Khan of Jaish-e-Mohammed

Mohammed Yusuf Azhar, notably, was the brother-in-law of Jaish founder Masood Azhar and a mastermind behind the 1999 IC 814 hijacking that led to Masood Azhar's release from Indian custody.

Pakistan’s Retaliation and India’s Counter-Strike

Following India’s strikes, Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks along the border regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab. Shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border intensified, violating the earlier ceasefire agreement.

India responded with a precision counter-offensive, targeting key Pakistani military installations, including:

Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, and Bholari

Radar sites in Lahore and near Gujranwala, both in Pakistan’s Punjab province

These actions were part of the continuing Operation Sindoor, with the Indian armed forces having been given full autonomy by the Prime Minister to determine the scope, location, and nature of retaliation.

Ceasefire and Diplomatic Outcome

On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had reached a ceasefire agreement. This was soon confirmed by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. However, India clarified that the ceasefire followed a direct communication between top military officials of both countries, and did not attribute the development to U.S. mediation.

India has now made it clear: any future terror act originating from Pakistan will be treated as an act of war, and the nation will respond with full force.

Stay tuned for Prime Minister Modi’s address to the nation at 8 PM tonight.