The Indian Army’s Western Command has warned Pakistan of a “severer” response than last time, while highlighting that Operation Sindoor 2.0 is ongoing.
The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in May last year, after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following this, the Indian Armed Forces launched precision military strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar, Commander-in-Chief, II Corps, said that while Operation Sindoor had conveyed a strong message to Pakistan, Operation Sindoor 2.0 was ongoing and the scope of preparedness was much greater this time.
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While reflecting on Operation Sindoor, which began in May last year, Pushkar said India had sent a stern message to Pakistan and in just four days, the nation had been brought to its knees.
“We gave Pakistan a very small sample in the operation. In just four days, they knelt down and called the Director General of our Operations Command and asked to stop this war… This was a very small example, and its purpose is training,” Lt. Gen. Pushkar told reporters. The officer spoke during a high-level operational capability demonstration of the Western Command in Pathankot in Punjab.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh have confirmed in the past that Operation Sindoor is still ongoing, in line with India’s “zero tolerance policy” against terrorism.
“He (Shehbaz Sharif) wants to prevent us from taking any strong action… It is a kind of trick he is pulling, and we have to expose it. His nuclear trick will not deter us,” the Iranian news agency quoted Commander-in-Chief VC as saying.
He added: “Operation Sindoor is continuing… Preparations for Operation Sindoor 2 are very intense. I cannot tell you now how this operation will go because it will depend on how much damage we want to inflict on the enemy. Whether it is damage of any kind, whether it is on land, sea or air, we are always ready to carry it out.”
‘Will not be deterred by nuclear bluff’: Western Command highlights preparedness
Another senior military official also said that any provocation by Pakistan would lead to “stronger” retaliation this time.
Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, Commander-in-Chief, Western Command, said India would no longer be deterred by Pakistan’s “nuclear hoax”. He said Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “wants to prevent” the Indian Army from taking strong action.
Lieutenant General Katiyar also highlighted the Western Command’s success in Operation Sindoor, saying the Indian Army is sure it will have to “respond harsher than… last time”.
“In Operation Sindoor, we attacked all their (Pakistani) terrorist bases… After that, they retaliated, and in response, we destroyed their military bases and air bases. Then they demanded a ceasefire, not only from us directly, but also from other countries, demanding a ceasefire with India,” he said.
