Modi signals further strikes against Pakistan amid losses, domestic pressure

Prime Minister hints at continued military action without presenting evidence linking Islamabad to Kashmir attack

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hinted at possible future military incursions into Pakistan, amid mounting pressure from his Hindu nationalist base and rising questions over losses during last week’s Operation Sindoor.

In a nationally televised address late Monday, Modi declared that the Indian military campaign, which followed the April 22 attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, had caused “unimaginable damage” to Pakistan..

However, he stopped short of providing concrete evidence that Pakistan’s government or military was involved in the attack that killed 26 civilians.

Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack and has repeatedly called for an impartial and international investigation into the Pahalgam attack, an offer that India has not responded to.

“We have only postponed our military action. Our response will depend on Pakistan’s next step,” Modi said, describing the limited ceasefire as a conditional pause, not a de-escalation.

His speech followed a carefully worded statement by Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, who neither confirmed nor denied reports that Indian Rafale fighter jets were downed during the conflict.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Bharti said, “Losses are a part of any combat scenario,” but refused to disclose specific operational details, citing ongoing security concerns.

The ambiguity surrounding Indian military losses, combined with pressure from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) base and affiliated Hindu nationalist groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), appears to have influenced Modi’s hardline messaging.

Analysts say his address was aimed at managing domestic expectations and countering criticism over the ceasefire mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

Modi repeatedly emphasized that future dialogue with Pakistan would be limited strictly to terrorism and the return of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

He ruled out any broader peace process until Islamabad “dismantles its terror infrastructure,” a claim New Delhi continues to assert without furnishing publicly verifiable proof.

“This is not an era of war, but it cannot remain an era of terrorism either,” Modi said.

During his address, Modi invoked hyper-nationalist imagery, stating that Indian air and missile strikes had hit “the chest of Pakistan,” and alleged that over 100 militants were killed in Pakistani territory.

Pakistan has maintained that India’s attacks targeted civilian infrastructure and mosques, resulting in the killing of civilians, including children and women.

He claimed Pakistan’s army was caught off guard by India’s long-range precision strikes, describing them as a “turning point” in the region’s military doctrine.

However, the Indian prime minister offered no independent or international validation for these claims.

International news outlets have reported conflicting accounts, with Reuters quoting U.S. officials as saying that Chinese-origin Pakistani jets may have shot down at least two Indian aircraft during the confrontation, including a French-made Rafale.

However, Pakistan claims it has shot at least 6 Indian aircrafts during defensive and offensive operations following Indian aggression.

Modi’s address comes as regional tensions remain high between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Analysts warn that the absence of credible evidence tying Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack, combined with escalatory rhetoric and opaque military disclosures, risks pushing South Asia further toward instability.

“The hype built by Indian media during the standoff, amplified by BJP-aligned platforms, has boxed Modi into a corner,” said one regional security expert.

“Now he’s hinting at more action, even without clear justification, which could dangerously provoke another round of escalation.”

With the Line of Control quiet for now, Modi concluded by warning that India remains on alert and will retaliate “again—if provoked.”

While the U.S.-mediated ceasefire has brought temporary calm, both sides remain on high alert.

Modi stated that talks with Pakistan, if they occur, would focus solely on dismantling terror networks and the ‘return’ of Pakistan-administered Kashmir to India.

His comments come after U.S. President Trump said that he would ‘work’ to resolve Kashmir dispute, which he maintained was the key to resolving the long conflictual relationship between the two countries.

While India maintains that the entirety of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is its ‘integral part,’ experts pointed out how India’s recent conflict with Pakistan has led to the ‘re-internationalization’ of Kashmir dispute.

Pakistan, meanwhile, welcomed international support for dialogue but stressed that any resolution must align with United Nations Security Council resolutions and include the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.