Terror and talks can’t go together—just like blood and water, Modi tells Pakistan

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that India would not tolerate any form of nuclear blackmail, reiterating his country’s stance on combating terrorism.

In his address to the Indian nation, PM Modi emphasized that “terror and talks cannot go together,” and stressed that “blood and water cannot flow together.”

He also pointed to India’s military operations, confirming that the Indian Army was given a “free hand to bury the terrorists.”

According to Modi, India’s recent strikes targeted terrorist hideouts and training centers in Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 terrorists.

Pakistan, he noted, had called for de-escalation and sought to reduce tensions.

The country had also contacted India’s military operations chief on May 10. However, Modi clarified that while military action against Pakistan had been paused, India would be closely monitoring Pakistan’s behavior.

“This is India’s policy against terrorism,” he said, adding that India had drawn a new “red line.” He warned that if another terrorist attack were to occur, India would respond “very strongly.”

His statement comes after US President Donald Trump brokered a truce late Saturday following four days of intense missile, drone, and artillery attacks, which resulted in at least 60 fatalities and caused thousands to flee on both sides of the border, according to Reuters.

The violence, which had been the worst between the two countries since the 1999 Kargil conflict, sparked international concern over the risk of an all-out war.

By Monday, both sides reported a largely calm night across Kashmir and other areas along the international border, with no significant incidents. The Indian army noted that it was the “first calm night in recent days.”

Besides, India reopened 32 airports that had been closed due to the conflict, and Poonch, a town severely affected by the violence, also experienced a second consecutive night without gunfire or shelling.

The flare-up began earlier in the week when India launched missile strikes against what it described as terrorist camps in Pakistani-administered Kashmir. This followed a deadly attack on Indian civilians on April 22 in Kashmir, further escalating hostilities between the two nations.