By A Correspondent

New Delhi: India has issued its strongest warning in years against cross-border terrorism, declaring that any terror strike on Indian soil will be treated as an “act of war.”

The unprecedented assertion from top government sources on Nov. 11, 2025, came within hours of a deadly explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station, which killed at least eight people and injured several others.

The warning signals a shift in India’s counter-terrorism posture, echoing the tough stance taken after the 2019 Pulwama attack and the ongoing ‘Operation Sindoor’ launched following the April 2025 Pahalgam massacre.

Officials said the message is directed at both domestic and foreign terror handlers, particularly those believed to be operating from across the western border.

“The government will respond to every terror operation on Indian soil as an act of war,” a senior security official told reporters, underscoring that New Delhi would no longer distinguish between state-sponsored and non-state terror entities.

“Operation Sindoor is still on, and those responsible for the Delhi incident will face the same retribution we delivered in 2019 and 2025.”

One of Delhi’s Deadliest Attacks in Years

The explosion occurred on Nov. 10, 2025, outside the Red Fort Metro Station in Old Delhi, engulfing multiple vehicles in flames and killing at least eight people on the spot, according to the Delhi Police.

Initial investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) suggest the use of a high-intensity improvised explosive device (IED). CCTV footage reportedly shows a vehicle entering the area hours before the blast, with possible links to a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) module based in Haryana’s Faridabad.

A Political and Security Flashpoint

The government’s “act of war” declaration effectively raises the diplomatic stakes for any state found supporting or sheltering terror groups. Senior officials have hinted that New Delhi may employ military, cyber, and diplomatic tools in response to future attacks.

The decision, sources say, was taken during a late-night security review chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and senior intelligence officials.

Defence Minister Singh said, “Our investigative agencies are working swiftly. The findings will soon be made public. I assure the nation that those responsible will be brought to justice and not spared under any circumstances.”

Security agencies are now re-examining possible linkages between the Red Fort blast and sleeper cells unearthed during Operation Sindoor, which was launched in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year.

The operation, named after the saffron hue of the Indian tricolour, symbolises New Delhi’s resolve to counter terror both inside and beyond its borders.

PM Modi and Shah React

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on an official visit to Bhutan, called the incident “a cowardly act of terror” and vowed decisive action.

“Condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi. Those behind this will not be spared. Our agencies will get to the bottom of this conspiracy,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Home Minister Amit Shah also took to X, saying: “Chaired review meetings on the Delhi car blast with senior officials. Instructed them to hunt down every culprit behind this incident. Everyone involved in this act will face the full wrath of our agencies.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, at a Delhi event, that the country’s leading investigative agencies were conducting a swift and thorough inquiry into the incident, and the findings of the investigation would soon be made public.

He assured the nation that those responsible for this tragedy will be brought to justice and will not be spared under any circumstances.

A Warning to Terror Sponsors

Diplomats and analysts view the strong statement from New Delhi as a message to both terror groups and their external backers.

With the NIA confirming that the explosive used in the Red Fort attack bears similarities to materials traced to cross-border smuggling networks, India’s latest warning could reshape its counter-terrorism playbook in the months ahead.

Officials maintain that “India’s patience has limits,” and that any future provocation will invite “direct and proportionate” retaliation under the doctrine of pre-emptive self-defence.

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