India's warning to Pakistan: Any future terror attack will be treated as act of war

India has resolved to treat any future terror attacks as acts of war and will respond accordingly, reports said on Saturday (May 10), citing sources, amid escalating tensions with Pakistan.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian forces carried out precision strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7, following a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

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India retaliates to Pak strikes

The warning is not an escalation of hostilities but a clear line drawn by India in response to Pakistan’s repeated aggression. This only came after several reports of unprovoked Pakistani missile and drone attacks on India’s civil and military infrastructure.

The government confirmed on Saturday that four key Indian Air Force (IAF) stations – Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj. However, many Pakistani threats were intercepted.

In retaliation, the Indian Armed Forces launched precision strikes on six Pakistani air bases: Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunia. These swift and calculated strikes, according to the government, targeted only military infrastructure and were executed to minimise collateral damage.

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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting today with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval and military chiefs to review the security situation. A video of the meeting was shared on social media.

What is act of war?

An act of war can be defined as any armed assault or use of force that threatens a nation’s sovereignty, territorial integrity or safety of the people.

When a country calls the actions of another country an “act of war”, it is typically signalling that it considers those actions to be hostile enough to justify armed conflict or self-defence under international law.

The continued actions of Pakistan, when it crosses the threshold of Indian patience, can lead to increasing attacks and even all-out war.

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The United Nations Charter (Article 2(4)) prohibits member states from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, except in cases of self-defence (Article 51) or when authorised by the UN Security Council.

Pakistan provokes through troop movement

Pakistan's military is moving its troops into forward areas, India said earlier today. "The Pakistan military is observed to be moving their troops to border areas," Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said at a press briefing along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

India also said that Pakistan's claims of critical infrastructure damage were "completely false".

The Indian military showed time-stamped pictures to deny Pakistan's claims about air force stations and base destruction in India.

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"Indian armed forces remain in high state of operational readiness... all hostile actions have been effectively countered," Wing Commander Singh told reporters.

The new development of troop movement at the border can signal Pakistan’s intent to escalate the conflict, and India will have no option but to retaliate as per Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Indian armed forces are committed to non-escalation, but only if Pakistan reciprocates in an equal manner.