“A Befitting Response”: PM Modi Links Surgical Strikes to Balakot, Operation Sindoor

In his Mann Ki Baat address, PM Modi recalled the surgical strikes and urged citizens to participate in the ongoing Census

PGurus Newsdesk

September 27, 2026

A befitting response": PM Modi links surgical strikes to Balakot and Op Sindoor

Prime Minister also urges citizens to actively participate in India’s ongoing Census exercise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday marked the upcoming tenth anniversary of the 2016 surgical strikes, recalling the operation during his monthly Mann Ki Baat address and saying it demonstrated India’s decisive response to years of cross-border terrorism.

Modi noted that the surgical strikes would complete a decade in just a day’s time. “A major historical achievement of India is set to complete 10 years in just a day — the surgical strike. Ten years ago, on September 28-29, 2016, the Indian Army conducted a surgical strike on terrorist hideouts in PoJK. The world was astonished by the manner in which our brave soldiers crossed the Line of Control to take action against terrorism,” he said.

“A new example of India’s counter-terrorism policy”

He described the operation as a milestone in India’s approach to countering terrorism. “The surgical strike boldly demonstrated a new example of India’s counter-terrorism policy to the entire world. It served as our decisive response to the long-standing suffering India had endured due to terrorist attacks,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also drew a line connecting the 2016 operation to later military responses, referencing the 2019 Balakot airstrike and this year’s Operation Sindoor. “Over the past decade — from the Balakot airstrike to ‘Operation Sindoor‘ — India has repeatedly sent a clear message: if terrorists dare to cast a hostile eye on India, they will face a befitting response,” he said.

Background on the 2016 strikes

The September 2016 surgical strikes were carried out by the Indian Army in response to the Uri terrorist attack, based on intelligence about terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control. Indian forces conducted precision strikes on terrorists preparing to infiltrate into India, an operation widely seen as marking a shift in India’s security posture — from strategic restraint toward a more proactive, deterrence-based approach to cross-border terrorism.

Census also flagged

Beyond the anniversary, PM Modi used the Mann Ki Baat broadcast to speak about India’s ongoing Census exercise, describing it as a national responsibility in which he said every citizen has a role to play.

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