Modi’s Critics Want Us To Believe The Ceasefire Was A Compromise

Is Operation Sindoor over? Not yet. Although the operation has been carried out successfully, the government has announced it is not over yet. Why then are forces opposed to Narendra Modi, including politicians and media people, coming out with strange theories saying India accepted a ceasefire?

They have returned to their pet theme of defaming Modi. Hail the military for the success but criticize the PM for accepting the ceasefire. Some media critics of Modi have even gone to the extent of saying that it is India that wanted a ceasefire.

All these are lies and innuendoes intended to take the credit away from Narendra Modi who has achieved the impossible. If there was any shade of doubt that the surgical strikes in 2016 and air surgical strikes in 2019 were isolated responses from the Indian establishment, Operation Sindoor proved beyond doubt that India would destroy terrorist camps in Pakistan if there was any terror strike on India backed by Pakistan.

The governments before Modi worked under fear while dealing with Pakistan. Even the dastardly terror attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001 was not avenged. Perhaps the Indian establishment feared that Pakistan should not be taken by the horns because it had nuclear capabilities. Then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had achieved one of the largest military mobilizations in recent history under Operation Parakram. But the coalition government suffered due to doubts and lack of clear goals. Somehow, the operation could not be carried out.

Even after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008, the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was more interested in creating controversy over the incident than launching an attack. While Vajpayee lacked a clear vision on what to do after such a massive mobilization, Dr. Manmohan Singh appeared weak-kneed and incapable of giving a response.

Maybe the country was not well equipped in terms of defence equipment. As admitted by the Defence Forces spokespersons, the government provided large budgetary support in the last decade. Whether it is Rafale or S-400 air defence systems, all came in recent years and strengthened the Indian military.

Things changed only after Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. Although he extended the hand of friendship to Pakistan, he warned against giving support to terrorism. Here was a man completely devoted to the cause of Bharat Mata and who would not mince words or run away from action if needed. Acquisition of modern weapons to strengthen the military came in handy to push the policy of hot pursuits, as demonstrated during the Surgical Strikes in 2016 and the Air Surgical Strikes in 2019.

Modi's anger finds words only when he is deeply hurt. And when he says he would take decisive action against terrorists and their patrons, he means it. 'Operation Sindoor' to avenge the loss of lives of 26 people in the terrorist strike in Pahalgam was his thought process. Trust your defence forces to deliver after giving them clear instructions. And he did exactly that.

Modi's diplomacy, carried out by himself and his able minister S. Jaishankar, ensured that the world understood India's right to retaliate. The threat of nuclear weapons does not actually serve as a deterrent. The time had come to call Pakistan's bluff of the nuclear bogey.

Operation Sindoor achieved most of its objectives when the Indian Air Force's drones and jets hit nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), destroyed terror infrastructure and killed close to 100 terrorists including some dreaded names.

The terror nursery of Lashkar-e-Toiba in Muridke, Punjab province of Pakistan, was also destroyed. The funeral of terrorists killed in Muridke was led by LeT commander Abdul Rauf, already designated a terrorist by the United States. The way Pakistani army officials attended the funeral left none in doubt about the complicity between terrorists and the Pakistani army.

Those who are criticising Modi never ask this question or try to hold the Pakistani establishment accountable. Why should the State be present at the funeral of terrorists killed? This was further proof of their complicity.

Most of the objectives of Operation Sindoor were achieved on the night of 7 May. Our retribution was complete unless more terrorist camps were discovered. India shall wait to find ways to eliminate the three dreaded terrorists who escaped the precision bombing because they were protected by the Pakistani army-Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, Jaish-e-Mohammed's Maulana Masood Azhar, and Lashkar-e-Taiba's Hafiz Saeed. There is also a fourth: Dawood Ibrahim, hiding in Pakistan.

India knew Pakistan would retaliate, and its S-400 air defence equipment, along with accompanying anti-aircraft missiles and a multi-layered air defence system, ensured that Pakistani drones, rockets, and aircraft did not enter Indian airspace. Our defence formed an aerial shield described by forces as a "wall." Pakistan targeted major Indian cities along the border, but the attacks were neutralised. More than 400 drones were sent-each one neutralised. India had said that if Pakistan provoked, it would retaliate.

For two days, Pakistan tried to attack India, but its efforts were thwarted. The Indian side retaliated by launching its own missiles and destroyed critical air bases of the Pakistani Air Force: Nur Khan, Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari, and Jacobabad. This significantly reduced Pakistan's military offensive capability. Indian strikes also destroyed the air defence system at Lahore.

To say India wanted a ceasefire is far from the truth. In a war situation when the Indian military was successfully executing its operation, why would India seek a ceasefire? Those spinning anti-Modi narratives want people to believe India bowed to U.S. pressure. That is false. The Indian military has said that if Pakistan dares again, there will be retributory action.

The ground situation tells another story. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in a late-night address on 10 May, thanked leaders of countries such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., and "Pakistan's trusted ally China." When Pakistan realized its military incompetence, it likely approached these countries to broker a ceasefire. All these countries, barring China, have good relations with India. Even China has been warming up to India lately. Still, all these countries know India won't accept third-party intervention.

India did not thank any country because it doesn't acknowledge a third-party role. India didn't seek intervention even when its army stood face-to-face with China in the Northeast. Would India accept a ceasefire proposal from the Pakistani side? Anyone would say yes.

The U.S.-backed bailout package of USD 2.4 billion through the IMF is linked to economic reforms and climate change. The U.S. knows that such reforms aren't possible during prolonged war. Pakistan must have appealed to the U.S. to intervene and secure a ceasefire as a face-saver. Mark it-Pakistan was desperate and didn't have the courage to unilaterally stop provoking India.

Those claiming the ceasefire came under U.S. pressure should know that India's official briefing made it abundantly clear that Pakistan's actions were "provoking and escalatory." India's response was "calibrated and precise" against military targets in Pakistan in a "responsible and measured" manner.

It was clear: if Pakistan stopped escalating, India would halt retaliations since Operation Sindoor's objectives had already been achieved. Ceasefire was a face-saver for Pakistan. The proposal came from Pakistan's DGMO and was responded to by the Indian side. India accepted it but kept Pakistan on a watchlist for two days before a review. India also warned that any future terror attack would be considered an act of war and responded to accordingly. During the initial hours of the agreement, Pakistan violated the ceasefire and faced punitive action by the Indian Air Force.

Where did India compromise, then? Why are Modi's critics on social media and YouTube claiming it was a compromise? Because they know Operation Sindoor brought the war into the living rooms of every Indian. People now trust Modi more than ever. They see a stronger India under his leadership.

Some critics have even said India has driven Pakistan into China's lap. But they forget China was already there. It invested billions in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Earlier, Pakistan was under the West's influence-now it's under China's. No one knows this better than the Indian Prime Minister. If you think China's role wasn't considered while planning these strikes, you're being naïve.