Nirmala Sitharaman's warning message to Pakistan

New Delhi, June 05: The Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today categorically said India will honor the Ramzan ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir but will respond to any unprovoked attack.

"When it is an unprovoked attack, the army was given the right to retaliate... We honor the ceasefire but a margin was given to us when there is an unprovoked attack," Ms Sitharaman said at a function to mark her ministry's achievements in Delhi today.

Amid repeated terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan at the border, the government had announced that the security forces will desist from anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Over the last four days, 10 attacks have taken place in the Valley. In the last one, which took place yesterday, 14 civilians and two police officers were injured. Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The defense minister said it was not her ministry's role to "assess whether a ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir has been successful or not".

But she made it clear that unprovoked attacks even at the border will not go unpunished. "It is our business to guard the border and we won't stop if we're provoked. We shall be alert that no unprovoked attack goes without us responding. It's our duty to keep India safe," she said.