Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday recalled the 2016 surgical strikes and said the operation demonstrated a new example of India’s counter-terrorism policy. He made the remarks during the 138th episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, a day ahead of the 10th anniversary of the operation.
Modi said the Indian Army conducted the surgical strikes on September 28–29, 2016, targeting terrorist hideouts across the Line of Control (LoC). The operation came days after the September 18, 2016, terror attack on an Army camp in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 18 soldiers were killed.
Recalling the operation, the Prime Minister said the surgical strike demonstrated India’s approach to counter-terrorism and described it as a response to the prolonged impact of terrorist attacks on the country. He also highlighted the role of the Indian Army in crossing the LoC to carry out the operation.
Modi said India’s counter-terrorism approach over the past decade had also included the 2019 Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor. According to his remarks, these operations reflected a policy under which India would respond to terrorist attacks with strong measures.
The Prime Minister also recalled earlier terrorist attacks, including the September 13, 2008, Delhi serial blasts and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He said India now follows a “zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.”
The 2016 surgical strikes remain a significant event in India’s recent counter-terrorism history. The government has subsequently referred to the Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor as part of the country’s evolving response to terrorism.
Modi also remembered the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, noting that 2026 marks 25 years since the attacks. He recalled paying tribute to the victims during his visit to New York after becoming Prime Minister in 2014.
