Modi declares India’s zero‑tolerance stance on terror, cites Balakot, surgical strikes and census progress

Counter‑Terrorism Stance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India now follows a zero‑tolerance policy toward terrorism. Over the last ten years, from the Balakot airstrike to Operation Sindoor, the government has repeatedly warned that any threat will meet a strong response. In his Mann Ki Baat address, Modi called the 2016 surgical strikes on September 28‑29 a historic achievement, noting Indian soldiers crossed the Line of Control to hit terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. He said the strikes showed a new example of India’s counter‑terrorism approach. Modi also recalled the September 2008 Delhi serial blasts and the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, noting that such incidents once seemed common. He added that earlier demands for action against Pakistan after each attack were often ignored, but now the zero‑tolerance stance is producing results. The prime minister expressed condolences to families of the 9/11 World Trade Center victims and said Indians suffered the second‑largest loss of life after Americans in that attack.

Census Update

Modi turned to the ongoing Census, saying the first phase is almost finished in all states and Union Territories. Data on more than 32 crore families have been logged. The enumeration effort is now moving into remote, snow‑covered areas of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand. He called the Census a national responsibility and urged citizens to submit their details online for accurate planning.