New Delhi: Minutes after U.S. President Donald Trump stated negotiations were underway with India to achieve a permanent ceasefire with Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed while the Indian Armed Forces have paused their operations, they remain fully combat-ready.

In his first address to the nation following the ‘Operation Sindoor’, Prime Minister Modi said, “The Operation Sindoor is not just a name, but a reflection of the emotions of the Indian people. It is our pledge for justice.”

He described the operation as a firm policy against terrorism, emphasising that India will evaluate Pakistan based on its future conduct. “Any act of terrorism against India will be met with a strong and decisive response,” he warned.

The Prime Minister also declared, “India will not tolerate nuclear blackmail,” reinforcing the Government’s firm stance on national security.

Modi saluted the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies for their efforts, and reiterated India’s longstanding position: “Terror and talks cannot go together. Terror and trade cannot happen side by side. Water and blood cannot flow simultaneously.”

US President Trump earlier claimed his administration helped prevent a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan that could have resulted in millions of deaths. He stated, “We’re negotiating with India right now. We’re going to be soon negotiated with Pakistan.”

Speaking at a White House briefing, President Trump said, “We stopped a nuclear conflict. It could have been a nuclear war, and millions of people could have been killed.”

He further added, “On Saturday, my administration helped broker an immediate ceasefire between India and Pakistan, ending a dangerous conflict between two nations with a lot of nuclear weapons. Things were getting hot and heavy, and it didn’t seem like it was going to stop.”