Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India “only suspended” its military operations against Pakistan, and his first speech to the country threatened the fifth full war between nuclear-weapon neighbors since last week’s fierce military confrontation.
The super-large Hindu leader said in New Delhi in his speech on Wednesday that his government would not distinguish between governments supporting “terrorism” and “terrorist organizations.” He said that if any "terrorist" attacks occurred on the country, India would "retaliation on its own terms."
The Indian military launched multiple missile attacks on Pakistan and Pakistan-managed Kashmir on May 6, claiming it attacked the "terrorist infrastructure."
Pakistan rejected this statement.
Modi said Pakistan chose to "attack" India rather than fight terrorism and asserted that his country "will not tolerate nuclear blackmail."
"We will monitor every step of Pakistan," Modi added. "This is not an era of war, but this is not an era of terrorism," he said.
"Terror and trade cannot be integrated, and water and blood cannot be combined," Modi said in the Indian Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
The treaty was established by the World Bank and has long survived several crises between the two competitors. However, India recently decided to use Pakistan’s decision to rely on water as leverage for agricultural and civilian purposes to stop water flow.
Pakistan's Finance Minister said in an interview with Reuters news agency on Monday that India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Water Treaty "must return to its original position."
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that his administration has blocked a “nuclear conflict” by helping promote a ceasefire.
New Delhi blames the deadly Islamabad on April 22 on Pahargam's Indian-managed Kashmir attack, during which 26 people were killed - Pakistan's allegations strongly denied.
According to some of their charges, the battle since last week has killed about 60 civilians on both sides.
The top military commanders of India and Pakistan are expected to revisit a recent ceasefire agreement on Monday night.
Authorities said the night was peacefully outdated on Kashmir and the international border, with Indian troops reporting "a quiet night" earlier, without reporting on new events.
An Indian defense official confirmed that the talks scheduled for noon local time were pushed to later that day. The discussion may focus on technical details to prevent future outbreaks rather than shaping long-term policies, analysts said.
Abdul Basit, a South Asian expert at S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said the purpose of the exchange is to establish a clear route and avoid mistakes.
"The goal is to avoid any miscalculation, because now the spark may soon move towards a nuclear disaster," Basit told AFP News.
The surge in hostilities has marked the worst confrontation between nuclear-weapon neighbors since the last conflict was announced in 1999.
Indian authorities reopened 32 airports on Monday as tensions cooled down.
Civilians in Kashmir suffered the greatest pain in the exchange of fire.
Military leaders of both countries were delivering sharp briefings Sunday, with each asserting that they had won the victory when they promised restraint.
Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry declared: "We have made a commitment to our people."
Air Deputy Marshal Aurangze Ahmed added that Pakistan “reestablishes key threats for deterrence and neutralization”.
Indian Lieutenant Rajiv Ghai insisted that his country showed “great constraints” but warned: “Any threat to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of our citizens will be encountered with decisive force.”
Despite the temporary calm, the two countries remain on high alert as the world is concerned about signs of lasting downgrades or reigniting hostilities.