India Will Punish Pakistan, Says Modi

His remarks come three months after four days of fierce clashes between the two nuclear-armed rivals, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Speaking at a ceremony at a 17th-century fort in New Delhi, Modi said India had established a “new normal” that makes no distinction between “terrorists” and those who support terrorism. He also declared that he would not tolerate “nuclear blackmail” from Islamabad.

“India has decided that it will not tolerate nuclear threats. Nuclear blackmail has been going on for a long time, but this will not be tolerated anymore,” Modi said.

Pakistani authorities have not yet responded to Modi’s comments. Islamabad has previously rejected India’s accusations of nuclear blackmail, calling them provocative and inflammatory, AP noted.

Yesterday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the creation of a new missile command to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities. Sharif announced in an Independence Day speech but did not provide further details.

India celebrates its independence from British colonial rule one day after Pakistan. The two countries were formed in 1947 following the bloody partition of British India, which triggered violence that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced around 12 million people.

The latest four-day standoff between India and Pakistan began in May after gunmen killed at least 26 Indian tourists in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir. New Delhi blamed Islamabad-backed militants for the attack. Pakistan denied involvement and called for a neutral investigation, AP reported.