Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a clear directive that perpetrators of the 2025 Pahalgam attack that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead must be brought to justice at any cost no matter if they were "on the earth or in hell", said National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in a docuseries on the 88-hour Operation Sindoor under which multiple terror sites in Pakistan were successfully destroyed by India.
In the docuseries 'Declassified: Operation Sindoor' by Discovery, Doval recalled that PM Modi was in Saudi Arabia when the Pahalgam attack happened and was forced to cut short his visit. Upon his return, the Prime Minister immediately held a meeting with top officials and inquired about what had happened.
"Prime Minister returned. Foreign Secretary had come to receive him. Then at the airport itself we had a meeting. First he wanted to know all the facts. And then his first question to me was -- 'Who has done it? Who is responsible? We should be very clear who the perpetrators are. I want it immediately," he said, adding that Indian officials were able to arrive at the conclusion quickly thanks to the intelligence agencies.
'A message to Pakistan'
In his first interview since Operation Sindoor, Doval said India's message was clear that its "generosity and tolerance" should not be mistaken for weakness, adding that the country was ready to take the risk and hit hard at the enemy, irrespective of the consequences.
Doval said India wanted to make Pakistan realise that New Delhi will not tolerate Islamabad's continued support to "terrorism or inability to take effective action against the terrorists".
"We had decided the objective of the operation as destruction of the enemy camps particularly those who had been responsible for the Pahalgam attack," Doval revealed. "Message to the world is very clear - India's generosity or India being tolerant should not be mistaken for its weakness. India can take risks, India can hit hard, irrespective of the consequences."
"Once anything starts, we are willing to go as far as it is necessary for a nation to preserve its sovereignty and there are no limits on that. We fight till the last drop of blood," he said.
Operation Sindoor: India's answer to Pahalgam attack
Operation Sindoor was launched early on May 7 last year to avenge the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed, with Indian armed forces conducting precision strikes on multiple terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Pakistan later also launched offensives against India, and all subsequent counter-offensives by India were also carried out under Operation Sindoor.
The military conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, lasting nearly 88 hours, halted after they reached an understanding on the evening of May 10. Even as the two sides announced a ceasefire, Indian officials and ministers have repeatedly stated that Operation Sindoor can be re-launched if needed.
(With inputs from PTI)
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