Chief of Army Staff Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying Islamabad would have to decide whether it wanted to remain “part of geography or history” if it continued harbouring terrorists and acting against India.
Speaking at an interactive session at the Manekshaw Centre, General Dwivedi was asked how the Indian Army would respond if circumstances similar to those that led to Operation Sindoor emerged again.
“If you have heard me earlier, what I have said... that Pakistan, if it continues to harbour terrorists and operate against India, then they have to decide whether
they want to be part of geography or history or not,” the Army chief said.
His remarks came a little over a week after India and its armed forces marked the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 last year after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed several people.
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Indian forces carried out precision strikes on terror launchpads and infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan subsequently launched offensives against India, triggering nearly four days of military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. India’s counter-offensives were also conducted under Operation Sindoor.
The conflict, which lasted around 88 hours, ended after both sides reached a ceasefire understanding on the evening of May 10 following communication between the directors general of military operations of the two countries.
General Dwivedi’s remarks also came amid recent statements from Pakistan expressing hope for resumption of dialogue with India.
Pakistan on Thursday welcomed comments by former Army chief M M Naravane supporting a remark by Dattatreya Hosabale that the window for dialogue between India and Pakistan should remain open.
Responding to the remarks, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi described calls for dialogue within India as a “positive development” and said Islamabad hoped “sanity will prevail in India”.
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