[Text/Observer Network, Xiong Chaoyi] Since India launched "Operation Sindoor" (Operation Sindoor) against Pakistan at dawn on May 7 local time, the two sides have been "fighting and stopping". On May 12 local time, Indian Prime Minister Modi finally made his first public speech since this military operation occurred.
According to Bloomberg, Modi said that his government would not hesitate to use force to eliminate "terrorist camps" in Pakistan, and believed that the military operation carried out by the Indian army "opened a new route, a new standard, and a new normality in the fight against terrorism for India and its neighboring country Pakistan." "If we talk with Pakistan, it will only be about (eliminating) terrorist issues. If we engage in consultations with Pakistan, it will only be about Pakistan-controlled Kashmir."
After days of conflict, India and Pakistan once stood on the brink of all-out war, and later U.S. President Trump claimed that he had "mediated and facilitated a ceasefire between the two countries." The report said that this statement angered several senior officials in India, who believed that Trump's move overshadowed Modi and undermined India's long-standing policy of handling disputes bilaterally.
In his speech, Modi did not mention the United States or attribute the ceasefire to Trump. Instead, he claimed that after the Indian army struck deep into Pakistan's "heart," Pakistan urged the international community to ease tensions. "Therefore, when Pakistan called for it and stated that it would no longer indulge in any form of terrorist activities or military adventures, India considered accepting it." He also warned that India would not tolerate any nuclear blackmail, and New Delhi would respond to any further terrorist attacks targeting India.
On May 12, Indian Prime Minister Modi made a public speech. The Indian Express
The sudden tension in the current India-Pakistan situation originated from a gun attack that occurred in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region on April 22 local time, resulting in at least 26 deaths and 46 injuries, most of whom were tourists. The Indian side accused, and claimed that Pakistan has long "supported cross-border terrorist activities." In response, Pakistan has repeatedly denied it.
At dawn on May 7 local time, the Indian Air Force launched an air strike operation code-named "Operation Sindoor," targeting nine sites in Pakistan and the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir region. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that as a response, Pakistan shot down five Indian military aircraft. This was the first attack by India on Pakistan since 2019, and is also considered one of the most serious conflicts between the two sides in more than twenty years. Pakistan also confirmed that Chinese-made J-10C fighters were used in the aerial combat to counter and shoot down Indian Air Force aircraft, including three French-made "Rafale" fighters.
On May 10 local time, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar announced that Pakistan and India had reached an immediate ceasefire agreement. Just hours after this announcement, explosions were heard in both Indian-controlled and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir regions that evening. Both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement but also called for maintaining the results of the agreement.
According to reports, on May 12 local time, before Modi delivered his speech, the Pakistani military issued a statement saying: "No one should doubt that whenever Pakistan's sovereignty is threatened or its territorial integrity is violated, we will take comprehensive and decisive retaliatory measures."
It is worth noting that while India and Pakistan previously announced the ceasefire, Trump almost immediately released the ceasefire news, claiming that the United States "facilitated" the negotiations and promised to continue "helping" the two countries reach a solution regarding the Kashmir issue. However, this rhetoric is clearly unacceptable to the Indian side.
On May 12 local time, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore Shilpa Ambule (Shilpa Ambule) told Bloomberg Television that the Kashmir dispute was a "bilateral issue" and India rejected any external "mediation."
When asked about the role played by the United States in the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, Ambule said: "For us, Kashmir is a bilateral issue, not an international issue." He added: "The word 'mediation' does not apply to the Kashmir issue for us." The report commented that this represented India's "rejection" of the U.S. mediation appeal.
According to Ambule's account, the ceasefire agreement was reached because the responsible person of Pakistan's military action contacted the responsible person of India's military action, and India had already achieved its goal of "destroying terrorist camps." He insisted that the negotiations were conducted entirely between India and Pakistan. "Diplomacy will indeed take place, and we will also communicate with officials from the other side, but this is to clarify our position and what we demand from Pakistan."
The Pakistani military, however, claimed that India was the first to propose de-escalating the situation. According to a May 12 report by Pakistan's The News, Pakistani Army Spokesperson Chaudhry responded on May 11 at a press conference that Pakistan never requested a ceasefire. He said: "On the nights of May 6 and 7... India requested a ceasefire, and Pakistan's response was clear: we would only communicate further after making an appropriate response."
Bloomberg reported that in Washington, Trump not only reiterated his administration's "efforts to facilitate a ceasefire agreement," but also claimed to throw "carrots" related to trade at India and Pakistan.
"I said, come on, we will do a lot of trade with you," Trump said on May 12 at the White House when talking about the India-Pakistan situation: "You stop fighting, we'll start trading. If you continue fighting, there will be no talks." He added: "We are currently negotiating with India, and we will soon negotiate with Pakistan. We prevented a nuclear conflict."
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