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India’s top military leadership has issued its sharpest warning in years to Pakistan: end support to terrorism or face consequences that could alter your place on the map.
The warning came on Friday in a rare twin show of force from both the Army and Air Force Chiefs, underscoring India’s growing impatience after months of renewed tensions — from cross-border activity near Sir Creek to evidence of continued militant infrastructure on Pakistani soil.
Army Chief to Pakistan: “This Time No Restraint, If It Wants to Continue in Geography”
Speaking from a forward post at Anupgarh in Rajasthan, near the India–Pakistan border, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi abandoned the careful language that usually marks such occasions. His words were unambiguous.
“This time, we will not maintain the restraint that we had in Operation Sindoor 1.0,” he declared.
“This time, we will do something that will make Pakistan think very seriously — whether it wants to remain in geography or not.”
Linking Pakistan’s future directly to its sponsorship of terror, Dwivedi added, “If Pakistan wants to retain its place in geography, it must stop state-sponsored terrorism. This is not just a warning; it is a reality check.”
The Army Chief said his border visit was to review readiness in case “Operation Sindoor 2.0” became necessary. He reminded the press that the first Sindoor operation had been carefully calibrated to target only terror infrastructure, not civilian areas or conventional military bases.
“Our strikes exposed what Pakistan harbours on its soil. The evidence is with the international community. Had we not acted, Islamabad would still be in denial.”
Air Chief: “Pakistan Asked for the Ceasefire”
Echoing that message in Delhi, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh revealed new details of May’s four-day conflict. He confirmed that the IAF had downed four to five Pakistani jets — including American F-16s and Chinese JF-17s — as well as a high-value early warning aircraft that crippled Pakistan’s aerial command-and-control.
He also pushed back firmly against claims that the ceasefire, which ended Operation Sindoor on May 10, had been the result of international mediation.
“Let there be no confusion — the ceasefire came only after Pakistani commanders asked for it. It was not due to external pressure or mediation,” Singh stressed.
His remarks amounted to a direct rebuttal of earlier suggestions, including from Washington, that the U.S. had played a role in halting the conflict.
Defence Minister on Sir Creek: “History and Geography Will Change”
The coordinated warnings from India’s military brass followed a statement by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh just a day earlier, when he warned Pakistan against escalating activity in the Sir Creek region, a 100-km tidal strip in the Rann of Kutch that has long been disputed.
“If Pakistan dares to act in the Sir Creek sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography,” the minister said, noting signs of a Pakistani military build-up near the area.
Why Sir Creek Matters
On the map, Sir Creek is little more than a swampy sliver of water. But its implications are vast:
- It shapes maritime boundaries and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in the Arabian Sea.
- It affects access to potential undersea oil and gas reserves.
- It defines fishing rights for thousands of coastal families.
- And it influences naval manoeuvrability near Karachi Port, a cornerstone of Pakistan’s maritime security.
The dispute traces back to colonial-era maps: Pakistan cites a 1914 resolution that places the boundary on the eastern bank, while India points to a 1925 map and the thalweg principle, which argues that the border should follow the deepest channel.
An Inflection Point
With Army and Air Force chiefs now issuing direct threats of escalation, the Indo–Pak dynamic appears to have entered a new phase. For the first time since Operation Sindoor earlier this year, India’s leadership has openly signalled that a second wave of strikes is possible — and this time, restraint may not be part of the playbook.
Whether this tough talk is meant as deterrence or as a prelude, one thing is clear: the subcontinent is again walking the knife’s edge, where words alone can shift the balance between uneasy peace and sudden war.
Huma Siddiqui
