Chhappan Inch!

Following the triumphant Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Modi visited the Adampur air base; his military aircraft landed on the very airstrip that Pakistan claimed to have blown. Pakistan also claimed that its JF-17, a fourth-generation fighter jet, destroyed India’s S-400. And then came the visuals of the PM’s Adampur visit, the PM greeting the Bravehearts and cheering on the victory. There was no sign of damage, but the robust, dusky faces relaxed into joyous smiles with the formidable S-400 proudly displayed behind. These glorious visuals are an emphatic response to raised eyebrows, ripping apart the false narratives spun by Pakistan and Western Media. These pictures ensure that from now on, Pakistan can “identify the S-400” that shields Indian skies and remember “the centre of gravity” of Indian forces forever.

The media, however, continued to criticise Modi. Well! Modi bashing is not a novelty.

Ever since Trump announced a surprise truce between India-Pakistan, Indian experts and analysts have been lambasting the Indian Prime Minister for giving up a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to cripple Pakistan, questioning his reputation as a muscular Hindutva nationalist and claiming that this ceasefire displayed weakness and has demoralised the Indian forces.

Yes! Despite having the advantage in all three- the air, sea and land operations, the sudden announcement of suspending military advances against terrorism is perplexing and demotivating. But for this, my friends, let’s not blame dear Trump; he just wanted to give us the good news first! Also, don’t mind him taking the credit for the ceasefire or later for taking the U-turn! “Tariff On-Tariff off” isn’t pure fun? So let’s award him the Gandhi Peace Prize, if not the Nobel, and thank him for no reason.

Yes! Trump hyphenated India and Pakistan. He did not use his veto power to block the IMF funding to Pakistan. Well, he is not the President of India! He is in power with the MAGA mindset! With trade in mind, he will not hesitate to call Pak a great nation and grant them a bailout loan even though it means bailing out his rival, China, or sponsoring terrorism, at worst! Remember his philosophy? He said, “I have never believed in having permanent enemies,” (and so there is no permanent…..) Bangladesh, Malaysia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, the biggest beneficiaries of our soft power diplomacy, supported Pakistan! The operation also exposed China’s clout and the deadly nexus against India at large. Operation Sindoor exposed diplomacy and betrayals. And yet we carried out a timely operation without any hesitation. Now, let us examine the media criticism of losing the “once-in-a-generation opportunity” and PM Modi’s weakness.

As the Trump tariff threat looms over the global economy, China, the world factory, is teetering, and the warring Russia seeks to revive and negotiate a peace deal, opportunities come knocking at India’s door. India could emerge as a reliable, stable, cost-effective, and scalable manufacturing hub. The once-in-a-generation opportunity, indeed! At a time when India is to become the fourth-largest economy and a developed country soon, should we call an all-out war with Pakistan, which has nothing to lose?

“At military, our main job is to prevent war and maintain peace and stability; our response is a graded response,” stated Vice Admiral AN Pramod, reaffirming the operational ethics of our military and the self-imposed restraint that Indian soldiers adhere to, even when they get “full authority!” Yes! There is a fundamental difference between Pakistan forces and our men. Our men are not aggressors; they stand as protectors and defenders. Our men wear uniforms not out of hatred towards neighbouring nations or to grab their territories, nor to kill their people for religion, or to blast their critical infrastructure and weaken their economies. Our soldiers don their uniforms out of devotion to the motherland, to protect us and to nurture the dreams we hold for a future they wish to build hand in hand.

The Indian forces destroyed Turkish drones, Sino-Pak warcraft and defence systems without losing a single asset. Our forces demonstrated the ability to strike at will - be a terrorist camp along the LOC or military base deep within Pakistani territory, and compelled Pakistan to call for a ceasefire within 4 days.

Our leadership successfully preserved the element of surprise throughout the entire operation. They maintained secrecy about the arms employed and their deployment combinations, creating uncertainty and instilling fear behind the enemy line. Kyu ki, BhartiJiKah Rahe Humse, Bhay Bin Hoye Na Preet!

From gathering intel to precise planning, from diplomacy to tactical deployment, and from media censorship, exposing fake news and hosting press briefings, team Modi excelled in all. The Chhappan Inch has courage and brainpower in abundance, proved once again. As Air Marshal AK Bharti said, “We have the capability to target every system at these bases and more. However, it was only a measured response to instil good wisdom to our adversary to refrain from further escalation,” we know that India accepted Pakistan truce call out of maturity and strength, not weakness.

If doubts still linger about accepting a truce, or the mind questions the strength of our Hindutva leadership, we should reflect on our Hindu history, from Shri Krishna, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to SwatantryaveerSavarkar With this ceasefire, India has prevented the crisis from expanding and made peace, gaining time to secure support from her all-weather friends and formulate new strategies. Whether it is a “ceasefire” or “military pause”, time will tell. All we know is that India carried out a limited, precise and decisive modern war that warns, “India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. Terror and Talks cannot go together. Water and blood cannot flow together”; Operation Sindoor is still ON.

(The author is a foreign affairs expert. Views personal.)