New Delhi [India], October 4 (ANI): Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal underlined on Saturday that the Armed forces have got a 'free hand' since the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government came to power at the Centre in 2014.

On the statement of Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Bansal told ANI, 'Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has come to power, the morale of the army has increased, the army has got a free hand, and the army decides the method, time, and to respond to terrorism...'

'If Pakistan cannot stop sponsoring terrorism, then one day Pakistan will be wiped off the map of the world,' he warned.

BJP leader Yaser Jilani welcomed the Chief of the Army's Statement.

'I welcome General Upendra Dwivedi's statement... I believe that if Pakistan still doesn't understand, they should prepare for a new version of Operation Sindoor. The Indian Army is not in the mood to spare Pakistani terrorists...'

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi warned Pakistan that if it continues to sponsor terrorism, India will not show the same restraint in 'Sindoor 2.0' as it did during Operation 'Sindoor 1.0', and that Pakistan must change its ways if it 'wants to exist geographically'.

While General Upendra Dwivedi mentioned a restraint in action during Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had said that the Indian Air Force destroyed at least 12 of Pakistan's combat aircraft, including four to five F-16s on the ground and five F-16s and JF-17s in the air, along with two spy planes.

Earlier on Friday, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Dwivedi said, 'India is fully prepared this time. We will not show the restraint we exhibited during Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time, the action will be such that perhaps Pakistan will have to think whether it wants to exist geographically. If Pakistan wants to continue with its position in geography, it should stop its state-sponsored terrorism.'

The Army Chief issued the warning to Pakistan during his visit to forward areas, including the Bikaner Military Station, where he assessed troops' operational preparedness.

The Indian Armed Forces initiated Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, following which terrorist infrastructure was struck in pre-dawn strikes across the length and breadth of Pakistan and also in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), as per a prior statement from the Ministry of Defence. (ANI)