Lambasting Pakistan for violating the ceasefire agreement within hours of its announcement on Saturday night, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, stated that the Indian Army had anticipated the breach.

Addressing a joint services media briefing in the national capital on Sunday, Lt Gen Ghai remarked, “Disappointingly—and should I add, expectedly—it took only a couple of hours for the Pakistan Army to violate the ceasefire.”

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Sharing details of the ceasefire terms negotiated with his Pakistani counterpart on Saturday afternoon, Ghai revealed that while Indian forces were assessing the events of the previous night, he received a message via hotline from Pakistan’s DGMO, Major General Kashif Abdullah, expressing willingness to communicate.

“Since our objective was to strike terror camps, and all our actions in the subsequent days were responses to intrusions and violations by the Pakistan Air Force and Army, it was decided that I would engage in a conversation with the Pakistani DGMO,” he said, adding that the call took place at 1535 hours.

Ghai confirmed that following the discussion, both sides agreed to terminate cross-border firing and air intrusions effective from 1700 hours on May 10, with Maj Gen Abdullah proposing a cessation of hostilities.

It was also agreed that another round of talks would take place on May 12 to discuss modalities that would ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire.

However, Ghai stated, “Disappointingly—and should I add, expectedly—the Pakistan Army violated the arrangement within hours, with cross-border and Line of Control (LoC) firing, followed by drone intrusions across the Western Front last night and in the early hours of this morning.”

“These violations were responded to robustly, as they must be,” Ghai said. “Earlier today, we sent a hotline message to the Pakistani DGMO, highlighting their violation of the understanding reached on May 10, and conveyed our firm intent to respond fiercely and punitively if such actions are repeated tonight or later.”

Issuing a stern warning, Lt Gen Ghai added, “In the event of further escalation post-ceasefire, there will be a response—and it will be a punitive one.”

Making it clear that India has placed Pakistan “on notice,” Ghai asserted, “We have been compelled into this situation, and as you have seen, the Indian Armed Forces are always prepared to face any eventuality. Whatever needs to be done will be done. I am not concerned about what Pakistan will do; I am focused on what we will do. We have a roadmap and a plan, and we will follow it diligently.”

Referring to recent hostilities, he added, “The activities over the past 3–4 days are nothing short of war. Under normal circumstances, the air forces of neighbouring countries do not enter each other’s airspace and launch attacks. Under normal circumstances, infiltration across the LoC is carried out by terrorists. We have credible information suggesting the involvement of the Pakistani Army in such infiltrations, aiming to harm our posts.”