(MENAFN) Indian Premier Narendra Modi declared on Friday that the South Asian republic will not “tolerate nuclear threats” and emphasized that it will “not differentiate between terrorists and their supporters,” during a nationally televised address.

Speaking at the 79th Independence Day event from the iconic Red Fort in the capital, New Delhi, Modi also unveiled the Sudarshan Chakra, a missile defense initiative anticipated to be fully functional within a decade.

He characterized the aftermath of Operation Sindoor in Pakistan as “so massive that new revelations are being made every day.”

This statement referenced India's transboundary missile offensive in May, carried out in retaliation for the April 22 assault on the Pahalgam tourist destination in Kashmir under Indian administration.

Pakistan responded with counterattacks, leading to a four-day escalation before U.S. President Donald Trump declared a truce on May 10.

“Our country has faced terrorism for decades. We have now established a new normal. Terrorists and those who harbor terrorism will not be differentiated, and they are equal enemies of humanity,” he stated.

“In (the) future, if our enemies persist in such attempts, our armed forces will respond, on their own terms, at a time of their choosing.”

Pakistani officials did not issue an immediate reply to Modi’s recent comments.

The Prime Minister also condemned “nuclear blackmail,” reaffirming India's position on the Indus Waters Treaty, which was halted after the Pahalgam incident. “India has now decided: blood and water will not flow together,” he declared.

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