There is now a new normal and sooner Pakistan gets used to it the better: India

In a strong rebuttal to the recent remarks made by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said a “new normal” now governs India’s response to terrorism.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to a statement by Pakistan’s Foreign Office and Dar’s comments during an interview, said: “That a nation which has nurtured terrorism on an industrial scale should think that it can escape the consequences is fooling itself. The terrorist infrastructure sites that India destroyed were responsible not only for the deaths of Indians but of many other innocents around the world. There is now a new normal. The sooner Pakistan gets it the better.”

The stern message follows Dar’s claim that Pakistan’s military action was in self-defence after India’s May 7 retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor.

While Dar said Pakistan “did not consider” using nuclear weapons, he tried to portray India’s precision strikes as an “act of war” and accused New Delhi of trying to assert “hegemony” in Kashmir.

Responding to the above claim, Jaiswal said, “In the last week, Pakistan has seen its terror centres getting destroyed. Also, its military capabilities were significantly degraded and key airbases effectively put out of action. If the Pakistani FM wishes to project these as achievements, he is welcome to do so.”

He added, “Where India is concerned, our stand was clear and consistent from the start. We would target terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan. If the Pakistani military stays out, there would be no problem. If they fire on us, we would respond suitably. Till the night of May 9, Pakistan was threatening India with a massive assault.

“Once their attempt failed on May 10 morning and received a counter-response, their tune changed and their DGMO reached out to us. In essence, India’s position remained the same; Pakistan’s position changed on May 10 morning after its airbases were effectively put out of action. All you have to do is look at who called whom to negotiate the terms of the cessation of firing,” he added.

He also referred to the satellite pictures. “I urge you to look at the sites Pakistan claims to have attacked. Contrast it with the places which we successfully targeted and destroyed. That will give you a clear picture,” he added.

On Pakistan claiming victory after the recent conflict, Jaiswal said, “It is an old habit. They did the same in 1965, 1971 and 1999.”