00:00Every year on 21st of May, India comes together to observe National Anti-Terrorism Day,
00:13a time to take a united pledge to stand firm against terrorism in all its manifestations.
00:19The day was instituted in 1992 under the leadership of then Prime Minister P.V. Narsimha Rao,
00:26soon after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991.
00:32It was done both as a tribute to Rajiv Gandhi and to raise awareness about the grave threats
00:38posed by terrorism to individuals, society and the nation.
00:43On this day in 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber from the LTTE, a Sri Lankan
00:59Tamil terror group.
01:00The attack claimed his life but also left a permanent scar on the nation's psyche.
01:14Over the years, India has faced relentless terror attacks that have tested the nation's resolve.
01:21The Indian Parliament, the heart of Indian democracy, was targeted on 13th December 2001.
01:27A series of coordinated terrorist attacks shook Mumbai on 26th November 2008.
01:34In January 2016, the Prathankot Air Force base came under attack while an Indian army base
01:42in Uri suffered a deadly infiltration in September 2016.
01:47On February 14th 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir
01:54was struck by a suicide bomber in Pulwama.
01:58And most recently, cowardly terrorists targeted tourists in Pahlkam on 22nd April 2025.
02:05In the face of repeated acts of terror, India has refused to be cowed or cornered.
02:20Each tragedy has only strengthened the nation's resolve and sharpened its strategy.
02:26But India's response has also evolved significantly.
02:30It is no longer reactive but proactive.
02:33Surgical strikes and cross-border operations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have sent a strong message.
02:41India will not hesitate to defend its sovereignty.
02:44India has conducted several major surgical strikes that have made global headlines,
02:53marking a transformation in the nation's counter-terrorism strategy.
02:58The 2016 Uri surgical strike marked a turning point.
03:03In response to a deadly attack on an Indian army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir,
03:07Indian commandos crossed the line of control and destroyed multiple terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,
03:16with the government openly announcing the action.
03:19I don't say anything, I don't say anything. I don't say anything. I don't say anything.
03:24In February 2019, after the Pulwama suicide bombing killed 40 CRPF personnel,
03:32the Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohmad training camp in Balakot,
03:39deep inside Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,
03:43marking the first time since 1971 that Indian jets crossed the LOC border for such an operation.
03:50In May 2025, India launched Operation Sindur using precision missile strikes to hit terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
04:06in retaliation for a massacre of tourists in Pahlkam.
04:10With each of the counter-terror operations, India has demonstrated its growing military capability
04:39and willingness to act beyond its borders.
04:43It has sent a strong message globally about its resolve to combat terrorism proactively rather than reactively.
04:52India adopted an approach of zero tolerance towards terrorism and modernized its forces.
04:58Operation Sindur marked a new chapter.
05:01It showed India's advanced technological capabilities and military edge with indigenous defense power.
05:09The world also took notice of India's zero tolerance approach towards
05:39terrorism and earned the support from the international community.
05:44India, after the Bulwama attack, sent a dossier to Pakistan with specific details of involvement of Jaish-e-Mohmad.
05:51But Pakistan's political and military leadership continued with its denial at the presence of terrorist infrastructure
05:59in territories under its control.
06:01This time, India, after Operation Sindur, intensified its diplomatic campaign by preparing and sharing dossiers with international organizations.
06:12These dossiers detailed evidence of Pakistan-based groups' involvement in the attack and the infrastructure supporting cross-border terrorism.
06:22On National Anti-Terrorism Day, Indians remember the sacrifices, honour the heroes and renew their pledge to stand united, vigilant and unyielding.
06:40From the ashes of tragedy, India has risen, stronger, safer and more determined than ever.
06:48India is letting the world know that it will never bow to terror.
