Future terror strikes to be treated as 'Acts of War': Centre
The decision effectively closes the door on the ‘strategic restraint’ approach India has maintained for decades
Prime Minister chairs a high-level meeting at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi, on Saturday. (Photo:@PMOIndia/X)
New Delhi, May 10: India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an “act of war” against the country and will be responded to accordingly, reports said on Saturday.
The Prime Minister’s reported insistence to treat all future terror strikes as ‘acts of war’ was endorsed by top military officials and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a meeting earlier in the day.
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs and chiefs of IB and RAW were also present at the meeting to assess the success of the anti-terror ‘Operation Sindoor’ amid little signs of Pakistan trying to de-escalate tensions.
The decision to label future acts of terror as acts of war effectively closes the door on the “strategic restraint” approach India has maintained for decades. “This is not just a security shift—it is a signal to the world that India will no longer absorb terror strikes as isolated events,” sources told a news agency.
In the meeting, the discussions revolved around assessing the success achieved in the anti-terror operation and preparations to foil an attempted offensive by Pakistan which is reported to have moved troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation.
Apart from discussing the future course, the Prime Minister is believed to have discussed the continuous violation of the ceasefire by Pakistan in the sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) and the border.
Chiefs of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) also shared details about the terrorists – including those wanted in the IC-814 flight’s hijack to Kandahar in 1999 – killed in “Operation Sindoor” so far.
Modi’s fresh discussions on the ongoing operation came on a day when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, calling for de-escalation of tensions at the India-Pakistan border, and offered US support in holding constructive talks to prevent further escalation.
- With inputs from agencies