A weekend ceasefire appeared to be holding, after four days of intense jetfighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks — the worst violence between the two nuclear-armed neighbours since 1999.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said American intervention had prevented a “bad nuclear war”.
“We stopped a nuclear conflict… millions of people could have been killed,” 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.
The alarming spiral towards all-out war began before dawn on Wednesday, when India launched missile attacks destroying what it called “terrorist camps” in the Pakistan-administered part of Kashmir.
“If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure,” Modi said.
The conflict followed an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir which killed 26 civilians.
India accused Pakistan of backing the attack, but Islamabad denied involvement. (AFP)
