New Delhi:
Any future act of terror by Pakistan will be considered an act of war, and India will respond accordingly, sources said today.
The warning is significant as Pakistan has been launching drone and missile attacks on military installations and civilian areas in northern India for the last three nights. Nearly all of them have been intercepted by the robust Indian air defence network.
The announcement of the new rules of engagement against terror with cross-border linkages comes two weeks after Pakistan-linked terrorists killed 26 tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
In response, while India launched precision cruise missile strikes at terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the neighbouring country where the military has a strong grip on the civilian government escalated the situation by attacking civilian areas in India with drones.
The role of the Pakistani army in supporting terrorists to launch attacks against India became even more evident on May 7 when they stood up in defence of terror infrastructure hit by the Indian missiles as part of Operation Sindoor.
Indian military and intelligence sources pointed to irrefutable evidence that elements within the Pakistan Army, particularly those connected to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), were providing logistical support, safe havens, training, and financial backing to terrorist groups operating in PoJK. The proximity of some of the terrorist camps to known military installations and cantonments reinforced suspicions that they were being deliberately shielded, sources said.
In several cases, terrorists were seen using Pakistani army infrastructure as cover or enjoying unfettered access to restricted zones, they said, adding that despite repeated international appeals, the Pakistani establishment had done little to dismantle these networks – a passive tolerance that, in India’s view, amounted to active collaboration.
Any act of terror which would be considered a declaration of war would include bombings, firing, flight hijacking, and cyber, biological or chemical attacks. These include attacks on government buildings, military camps and institutions.
While non-State actors usually carry out terror activities, some nations openly support terrorism, such as terror attacks launched at the behest of and after encouragement and instigation by Pakistan.
India has sought not only to destroy physical infrastructure but also to internationally expose the duality of the Pakistan Army, which presented itself as a responsible actor on global platforms while covertly nurturing violent non-State actors, sources said.
