New rastructure but Islamabad has chosen to continue to escalate the matter instead of taking an "off-ramp" to end the crisis.

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly following India's Operation Sindoor on early Wednesday in response to the Pahalgam attack on April 22 that had cross-border linkages and Pakistan's subsequent unsuccessful attempt to attack 15 Indian cities. "April 22 was the most heinous terrorist act,” Kwatra said in an interview with CNN on Thursday.

"It is nobody's case to say that these terrorists should be given a free pass, and that's precisely what we did, held them accountable,” Kwatra said and described India's action as “a very precise, calibrated, measured response to these terrorists.” “We are at war with the terrorists, and we will, as I said, bring justice to the victims and hold them accountable,” he said, answering a question if India is at war with Pakistan.

“Our foremost objective in this was (to) hold these lowlifes, subhuman monsters accountable and bring justice to the victims.”

India's High Commissioner to the UK Doraiswami, who was interviewed by a series of UK media outlets on Thursday to present India's stance on the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, told ‘Sky News' that the international community can intervene by pointing out the opportunity for an off-ramp to Pakistan. He displayed an image live on air of US-designated Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist Abdur Rauf leading prayers for the terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor, also presented during a briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry in New Delhi.