Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that for the first time in 2025, India has succeeded in not only eliminating terrorists who carried out an attack but also punishing those who planned it, marking a significant shift in the country’s counter-terrorism approach. Referring to the operations conducted after the Pahalgam terror attack, Shah said the masterminds were dealt with through Operation Sindoor, while the terrorists who executed the attack were neutralised under Operation Mahadev, sending a clear message of zero tolerance towards terrorism.
Speaking at the ‘Anti-Terrorism Conference–2025’ in New Delhi, Shah said the actions taken by Indian security agencies demonstrated the country’s firm resolve to respond decisively to terrorism and its sponsors. He stated that India had delivered a strong and unambiguous reply to what he described as “Pakistan’s terrorist masters,” adding that the response reflected the coordinated strength of the government, security forces, and intelligence agencies.
Under Operation Sindoor, Indian forces targeted terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These precision strikes were carried out in May, shortly after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region. Subsequently, the terrorists directly responsible for carrying out the attack were eliminated in July during Operation Mahadev, completing what Shah described as a full-spectrum response to terrorism.
Addressing the gathering, Shah said that the Pahalgam attack of April 22, which claimed 26 lives, was aimed at destabilising communal harmony and disrupting the revival of tourism and development in Kashmir. He added that the security forces acted on highly accurate intelligence inputs and successfully neutralised all three terrorists involved in the attack.
The Home Minister said the investigation into the Pahalgam incident had been completed thoroughly and would help expose Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terrorism at international forums. He emphasised that this case stood as an example of how India’s security apparatus is now capable of tracking, identifying, and eliminating threats at every level.
Shah also underlined that the nature of terrorism is evolving rapidly, driven increasingly by technology, and warned that security agencies must stay ahead of these changes. He said the government is working towards building a robust and impenetrable anti-terrorism grid to safeguard future generations and ensure long-term national security.
Highlighting the importance of coordination, Shah stressed that operational uniformity across states was essential for effective threat assessment and intelligence sharing. He called for the establishment of a common Anti-Terrorism Squad structure nationwide and urged state police chiefs to ensure its implementation without delay. According to him, platforms such as NIDAAN and NATGRID must be used consistently to improve coordination among agencies.
He also praised the Jammu and Kashmir Police for conducting what he described as a highly professional investigation into the recent blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, noting that the case reflected the growing efficiency of India’s security institutions. Shah said the investigations into both the Pahalgam attack and the Delhi blast were examples of meticulous and airtight policing.
During the conference, the Home Minister unveiled an updated crime manual prepared by the National Investigation Agency and launched new digital databases on weapons and organised crime networks. He pointed out that organised crime often becomes a source of funding for terrorism, especially when criminals operate from abroad, and said the government was preparing a comprehensive strategy to tackle this nexus.
Shah emphasised that combating terrorism requires collective responsibility and seamless cooperation between central and state agencies. He urged officials to move away from a “need to know” mindset and adopt a “duty to share” approach, warning that fragmented data and siloed operations weaken national security efforts.
Concluding his address, Shah said that as India progresses economically, the nature of security challenges will become more complex. He called on all stakeholders to work as “Team India” to build a strong and future-ready counter-terrorism framework capable of responding effectively to any threat.
