Bikaner, 22 May

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that the country's enemies have learnt what happens when 'sindoor' becomes gunpowder, and lauded India's armed forces for creating such a trap that Pakistan was forced to go down on its knees.

In his first public address in Rajasthan after Operation Sindoor that was launched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, the prime minister slammed Pakistan, and said in response to the attack, "we destroyed nine biggest terror hideouts in 22 minutes".

"The world and the enemies of the country have seen what happens when 'sindoor' turns into 'barood' (gunpowder)," he said at the public meeting in Palana here, adding, "Those out to wipe out 'sindoor' were reduced to dust".

"Not blood but sindoor runs in my veins," the prime minister said amid applause from the audience.

In a strong message to Pakistan, Modi said that if India faces a terrorist attack, a strong retaliation will follow.

"The time and methods will be decided by our armed forces," he said.

Modi said India will not be intimidated by nuclear threats and will not see the perpetrators of terrorism and the state patronising terrorism separately.

Lauding the armed forces for carrying out Operation Sindoor, he said "Our government gave free hand to all three armed forces. Together they created such a trap that Pakistan was forced to go down on its knees".

Noting that Pakistan had tried to target the Nal air base in Bikaner but could not cause any damage to it, he said in contrast "No one knows when Pakistan's Rahimyar Khan air base will open again. It is in ICU. The attack has destroyed it".

"Pakistan can never win a direct fight against India. Whenever there is a direct fight, Pakistan has to face defeat again and again. That is why Pakistan has made terrorism a weapon to fight against India," he said.

The prime minister also asserted that there will be no talks with Pakistan.

"There will be neither trade nor talks with Pakistan; if talks, then only about Pakistan occupied Kashmir," he said.