New Delhi, May 10 -- The Indian government has decided to classify any future terrorist strike on its soil as an "act of war" and respond with corresponding force, senior officials said on Saturday, in a stern message directed at Pakistan.
The decision follows the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, after which hostilities escalated between the two nations. With this move, the Narendra Modi-led government has set a definitive marker on how it intends to deal with cross-border terrorism.
"Any future act of terror in India will be considered an act of war against the country and will be responded to accordingly," a top government official said. The comment signals a shift toward a codified and militarised approach to terrorism originating from across the border.
Shortly after this stance was made public, India confirmed that the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) from both countries had reached an agreement to halt all military activities-on land, sea, and air-from 5 pm on Saturday.
Since the Pahalgam incident, Prime Minister Modi has chaired several meetings with senior security officials to review the evolving situation. Government sources confirmed that military preparedness and diplomatic messaging have been part of the internal deliberations.
India has repeatedly held Pakistan-based groups responsible for attacks targeting both civilians and security personnel. The April 22 attack in Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead at a popular tourist site, is the latest in a series of such incidents.
Officials have indicated that any recurrence will be met with decisive force.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.