Surgical strike 2016 - "PM Modi could not let the outrage at Uri go unanswered," Ashley Tellis of the Carnegie Endowment had said ::::

US-think tank endorsed Moditva --- Surgical strikes after Uri Terror attack

On the night of September 28–29, 2016, the Indian Army conducted targeted surgical strikes against militant launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

This was in response to Uri Attack. On September 18, 2016, heavily armed Pak-based terrorists attacked an Indian Army brigade headquarters in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 19 Indian soldiers.  

India just marked the 10th anniversary of surgical strikes that demonstrated to the world a new example of Modi Govt's counter-terrorism policy.

From the old files .. we can say :: American experts had then endorsed the strikes. 

"The Indian surgical strike inside Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK) against terrorist planning to sneak into India for terrorist activities was "carefully measured", a top American think-tank had said then.

The onus for escalation lay purely on Pakistan, this was stated.

"This Indian response was indeed coming. Both as a signal to Pakistan and as reassurance for Indian domestic audiences.  Modi could not let the outrage at Uri go unanswered," said Ashley Tellis of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a top American think-tank. 

"The Indian action was carefully measured: striking at terrorist launch pads was meant to signal that India has not lost its freedom to retaliate, but puts the onus of further escalation on Pakistan," Tellis told Press Trust of India (PTI) in Washington then. 

Modi made maiden visit to US : Obama era - 2014 

India marks 10th anniversary of surgical strikes on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan  

On September 28-29, 2016, the Indian Army carried out targeted surgical strikes on terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). 

The operation was launched as a direct and decisive military response to the Uri terror attack earlier that month, in which 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives. 

The anniversary highlights a decade of evolving national security measures. 

The government noted that the resolve shown in 2016 laid the groundwork for subsequent bold actions, including the 2019 Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor in 2025.

 

In his Mann Ki Baat programme on Akashvani (Sunday, Sept 27, 2026); PM Narendra Modi described the 2016 surgical strike against terrorist hideouts as a historic milestone. 

He said the surgical strike highlighted the role of the Indian Army in carrying out the operation across the LoC. PM Modi recalled how the world was astonished by the manner in which Indian soldiers crossed the LoC to take action against terrorism. 

India’s counter-terrorism approach has continued to evolve over the past decade, citing the Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor as examples, PM said. 

 

PM said the surgical strike was India’s decisive response to the long-standing pain the country had endured due to terrorist attacks. 

He also stated that India had suffered from terrorist attacks for a long time, recalling a period when serial blasts had become a frequent occurrence in the country. 

Referring to terrorist attacks in September 2008, Modi recalled the serial blasts in Delhi on September 13, 2008, in which several innocent people lost their lives. 

Namo recalled the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which took place just weeks after the Delhi blasts. 

PM said under his government, India’s approach to terrorism has changed and that the country now follows a “zero-tolerance policy against terrorism”.

What did Indian troops do?

Despite the use of the term "surgical strikes", the Indians definitely did not airdrop commandos to hit "launching pads of militants" inside Pakistani-held territory, or conduct ground assaults deep into the Pakistan-administered side. 

But they did cross the Line of Control (LoC), in some cases by more than a kilometre, to hit nearby Pakistani border posts.

Police officials on the Pakistani side privately concede that such a ground assault did occur in the Madarpur-Titrinot region of Poonch sector, west of Srinagar, where a Pakistani post was destroyed and one soldier killed.

In Leepa valley to the north, locals said that the Indians crossed the LoC and set up their guns on ridges directly overlooking the village of Mundakali. A Pakistani border post located at some distance east of the village was hit. Two other posts higher up in the mountains were also hit. At least four Pakistani soldiers were injured in the attack, which lasted from 05:00am until 8:00am, locals said.  (BBC) 

"We heard that the Indians had crossed LoC and hit posts from positions overlooking the valley"

 

Kashmir-focused militants have had a strong presence in Pakistani-administered Kashmir for years. During the 1990s they crossed the LoC in droves to ambush troops on India's side.

Their activities became less visible after the 2003 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, but their proficiency in suicide raids and other attacks kept them relevant to Pakistan's strategy in its dispute with India, despite denials from Pakistan's military.

The militants continue to maintain safe houses in bigger cities like Muzaffarabad, located some distance from the border area.

ends