Modi vows strong response to any future 'terrorist attack,' says N-threat won't work

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Monday to respond strongly to any future "terrorist attack," and warned that New Delhi would not tolerate "nuclear blackmail" in the event of further conflict with Pakistan.

A weekend ceasefire which US President Donald Trump said he brokered appeared to be holding on Monday after four days of intense jetfighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks - the worst violence between the two nuclear-armed neighbours since 1999.

Trump said on Monday that US intervention had prevented a "bad nuclear war,"

"We stopped a nuclear conflict... millions of people could have been killed. So I'm very proud of that," he told reporters at the White House.

Modi, in a televised address to the nation - his first since hostilities began last Wednesday - said Pakistan has chosen to attack rather than help it fight "terrorism."

"If another terrorist attack against India is carried out, a strong response will be given," he said.

"If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure," Modi said Monday.

"India will strike with precision and decisiveness against the terrorist groups thriving under the cover of nuclear blackmail.

"India's stand is very clear. Terror and talks cannot go together... Terror and trade cannot go together... Water and blood cannot flow together."

His address came after the Indian army reported the "first calm night in recent days" in disputed Kashmir and along its western border with Pakistan.

The conflict followed an April 22 attack on tourists in Kashmir which killed 26 civilians.

India accused Pakistan of backing the attack, but Islamabad denied involvement.

The flare-up in violence was the worst since the rivals' last open conflict in 1999 and sparked global shudders that it could spiral into full-blown war.
The rivals also accused each other of breaching the ceasefire just hours after it was unexpectedly announced by Trump on social media on Saturday.

India, meanwhile, reopened 32 airports on Monday that had been closed due to the conflict, authorities said.

Senior officers from Pakistan and India were reported to have spoken on Monday in order to further secure the ceasefire.

Agence France-Presse