'Armed forces remain operationally ready': India after ceasefire announcement

NEW DELHI: India on Saturday said its "armed forces remain fully prepared and ready," after it reached an agreement with Pakistan to halt all military action across land, air, and sea.Speaking at a joint press conference with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi following the ceasefire deal, Commodore Raghu R Nair said, "While we will be adhering to the understanding that is the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, we remain fully prepared and vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland."Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength. Every future escalation will invite a decisive response. We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation" he added.Nair further stated that an agreement has been reached to halt all military operations across land, air, and sea."There has been understanding that has been reached to stop all military activities at sea, on the air and on land. Indian army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Forces have been instructed to adhere to this understanding," he noted.Earlier, at a press briefing, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) made a call at 3.35 pm (IST), during which both sides agreed to stop all military activity starting from 5.00 pm.He added that both countries had issued instructions to implement the agreement, and more talks are planned for May 12 at noon."Pakistan's DGMO called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air & sea with effect from 1700 hours IST. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. They will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours," Misri noted.The ceasefire announcement came amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with Donald Trump earlier announcing that both sides had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire."India launched a major counterterror operation, 'Operation Sindoor', on May 7, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The action was in retaliation for the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people mostly tourists.