During a fiery Lok Sabha address on July 29, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi disclosed that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance attempted to reach him multiple times on May 9, warning of a “massive” imminent attack by Pakistan in the midst of Operation Sindoor.

Modi recounted that he missed Vance’s repeated calls due to meetings with military officials. When he returned the call, Vance conveyed intelligence about Pakistan planning a major strike. Modi’s response was resolute: “if Pakistan has this intention, it will cost them a lot” — affirming India’s plan to retaliate decisively, “responding to bullets with bombs”.

He emphasized that India required no foreign permission to act: “No leader in the world asked India to stop its operation,” countering claims of external mediation, especially those attributed to former US President Trump .

India's military reaction—Operation Sindoor—responded swiftly to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and successfully neutralized nearly 1,000 Pakistani missiles and drones on May 9 with its air defence systems. Modi framed this campaign as India’s “new normal” doctrine: swift, autonomous, and uncompromising in the face of terrorism. He also sharply criticized opposition parties, especially Congress, accusing them of echoing Pakistani narratives and undermining Indian valour.