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New Delhi: In a stern message to Islamabad, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday cautioned Pakistan to end its support for terrorism if it wants to safeguard its position in the international community. Addressing troops at Anupgarh in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district, the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) made it clear that India’s response in future conflicts would be more forceful than during Operation Sindoor.
“India, as a country, is fully prepared this time. And this time, it will not show the restraint that it showed during Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time we will take a step forward and act in a manner that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to remain on the world map or not,” General Dwivedi declared in his strong remarks.
General Dwivedi reminded that India had already exposed Pakistan’s terror hideouts during Operation Sindoor, leaving Islamabad unable to conceal its role. He underlined that global opinion had supported India after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people and triggered a decisive response.
Detailing the operation, he said the Indian Army destroyed seven targets and the Air Force took down two more inside Pakistan. “We had identified the targets because we only wanted to harm the terrorists. We had aimed to strike their bases. We have no complaints against ordinary Pakistani citizens, so long as their country does not sponsor terrorists. Because terrorists were being sponsored, those terrorist targets were hit,” he explained.
The Army chief also praised the courage of people living along the international border, calling them critical to India’s security framework. “We consider the border population not as ordinary civilians but as soldiers. That means they stand shoulder to shoulder with us in the battle. This is crucial because the coming struggle is the nation’s struggle, not just the Army’s,” he said.
Recalling the public unity during the 1965 and 1971 wars, he expressed confidence that civilians would continue to support the armed forces. “We would want them to join us in the days ahead as well. I want to thank them — their zeal boosts the morale of our soldiers,” he added.
Concluding his address, General Dwivedi urged the soldiers to maintain peak readiness. “Keep yourselves fully prepared now, if god wants, the opportunity will come soon,” he said.
