Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, "I have snatched the morsel from your mouth, but your turn will come," after ordering the Indian Navy to hold back from a planned BrahMos missile strike on Karachi port during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. This statement came as Modi reviewed the operation with the service chiefs amid rising tensions with Pakistan, praising the Army Chief and Air Chief Marshal for their successful missions. Although the Navy was ready to retaliate with strikes, Modi called off the naval offensive, giving full operational freedom to all service chiefs and preparing for potential Pakistani counterattacks, including missile threats to Gujarat.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, was a coordinated military response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The Indian Air Force bombed terrorist camps and critical military targets inside Pakistan, including fighter jets, radar installations, and airborne early warning aircraft, significantly weakening Pakistan’s air power.

The Indian Army and Air Force targeted several key airbases such as Chaklala, Rawalpindi, and Jacobabad, destroying F-16 fighter jets. Indian air defense systems like the Akash missile and S-400 intercepted nearly 99% of incoming Pakistani drones and missiles. The conflict featured cross-border fighting with jets, missiles, and artillery from May 7 to May 10. Pakistan launched multiple drone and missile attacks on northern and western Indian military positions, but India’s integrated air defenses largely neutralized them. A ceasefire was agreed upon on May 10 after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations requested it, and India accepted, having achieved its objectives.

During Modi’s review on May 10, the Navy, with 30-35 ships ready to strike Karachi and other strategic targets, was called off at the last minute. Modi’s message to the Navy Chief symbolized a strategic pause—while naval strikes were postponed, the opportunity would come in the future. This reflected a carefully measured decision amid a complex military and diplomatic situation. PM Modi’s words acknowledged the Navy’s preparedness and promised eventual action, while Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s integrated use of Army, Air Force, and Navy forces in a decisive response to terrorism and Pakistani aggression.