In a turbulent week of military standoff and international conjecture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation has done more than just clarify India’s position ~ it has recalibrated the narrative. By rejecting the prospect of talks with Pakistan and reaffirming the principle that “talks and terror cannot go hand in hand,” Mr Modi not only pushed back against speculative diplomacy from Washington but reasserted the line India has consistently held on Kashmir and national security. This was not a speech meant for nuance ~ it was an unmistakable message, directed as much at international interlocutors as at a domestic audience frustrated with mixed signals.

Coming after a flurry of statements from the US President suggesting a brokered ceasefire and the potential for dialogue, Mr Modi’s words were a course correction. His declaration that India inflicted deep strategic losses on Pakistan and compelled them to seek restraint........

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