Modi govt's big warning to Pakistan: 'Any future act of terror will be considered an Act of War against India'

New Delhi has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an Act of War against India and will be responded accordingly, government sources said on Friday. This comes after two days of attempted drone and missile attacks on Indian cities and key defence installations by Pakistan, which MEA described as 'escalatory'.   

Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistan's actions have constituted provocation and escalation. In response, he said, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and these escalations by the Pakistani side.

Briefing media, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said the Pakistani Army was continuously attacking the western borders. Late Thursday night, she said, the Pakistan Army used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter jets to attack India's military sites.

Qureshi said that India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via Air at more than 26 places, and they damaged equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, and Bathinda. "They used high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjab's air base. They even attacked health facilities and schools."

The army officer also said that after Pakistan deliberately targeted air bases, Indian armed forces took a  retaliatory action and targeted technical installations, command & control centres, radar sites, and arms store in Pakistan.

Pakistan military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian were targeted through air launch, precision ammunition, and fighter jets. The radar site in Pasrur and an aviation base in Sialkot were also targeted with precision ammunition. 

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that the Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. "Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates."

WHAT DOES "ACT OF WAR" MEAN?

In international law, an "act of war" refers to action taken by one state against another that amount to use of armed force or aggression, typically signalling the start of an armed conflict or war. When a country calls the actions of another country an "act of war," it is typically signaling that it considers those actions to be hostile enough to justify armed conflict or self-defense under international law.

The United Nations Charter (Article 2(4)) prohibits member states from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, except in cases of self-defense (Article 51) or when authorized by the UN Security Council. The term “act of war” is not strictly defined in the UN Charter, but historically, it referred to actions that could justify a state in responding with military force.