In one of the strongest public warnings to Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi said India is fully prepared to deliver a decisive response to any future provocation from across the border, stressing that the Army’s swift 88-hour success in Operation Sindoor reflected the country’s growing readiness.
With this, he underlined that there will be no distinction between terrorists and their supports and India will continue to consider both alike, and it will respond firmly to terrorism. COAS General Dwivedi made the comments while speaking at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue on Monday (November 17, 2025).
“Operation Sindoor was just a trailer… If Pakistan gives a chance, we will teach it how to behave responsibly with a neighbouring nation,” General Dwivedi stated. “We also cannot say how long a battle will last even today. This time we fought for 88 hours; next time it could be four months too or even four years.”
His remarks come at a time when India-Pakistan relations remain at their lowest point in a decade, especially after the April 22 deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
How is Army defining the ‘new normal’ in counter-terror response?
General Dwivedi reiterated that India’s approach to Pakistan is governed by a “new normal,” under which any state-sponsored terrorism will be met with firm retaliation. “When a country encourages state-sponsored terrorism, it becomes a matter of concern for India,” he said.
“Talks and terror can’t go together; blood and water cannot flow together. We will treat terrorists and their sponsors alike,” the COAS reiterated the long-standing stance, further adding that India is no longer deterred by political or nuclear blackmail attempts.
Terrorism in J&K since Article 370 abrogation
According to the Army Chief, India’s deterrence capability has strengthened significantly since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which he described as a turning point that brought “political clarity” to security operations in Jammu & Kashmir. “There has been a huge decline in terrorism,” he said, calling the current environment more stable and less permissive for Pakistan-backed groups.
“After 5th August 2019, there has been a huge change in the situation in Jammu & Kashmir. After this, political clarity has come. There has been a huge decline in terrorism (in J&K),” he underlined. He also reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to sustaining peace and stability in Jammu & Kashmir.
What is the assessment of China front?
In a rare public observation on India–China ties, General Dwivedi said relations have “improved over the last year” following diplomatic and military-level talks. Though cautioning that the situation along the Line of Actual Control still requires vigilant monitoring, he suggested that mechanisms for communication had helped stabilise the frontier.
Meanwhile, General Dwivedi also took note of the improvements in Manipur, where violence had spiralled earlier this year. Since the imposition of President’s Rule, he said, public trust and inter-community confidence have grown. Citing events such as the Durand Cup and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, he said the state is showing signs of recovery.