Mumbai, October 8, 2025 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, referencing the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks to question the UPA government’s handling of national security at the time. His remarks came during the inauguration of the first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Speaking at the event, PM Modi said that Mumbai — India’s financial capital and one of its most vibrant cities — was deliberately targeted by terrorists in 2008 due to its strategic and symbolic significance. He criticized the then Congress-led government for sending a message of weakness and for “kneeling before terrorism.”
“Recently, a senior Congress leader, who served as the Home Minister during that period, revealed in an interview that after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, our armed forces were ready to strike Pakistan. The entire nation wanted this. But due to pressure from a foreign country, the Congress government stopped our forces from taking action,” PM Modi claimed.
He further demanded accountability from the Congress party, saying: “Congress must explain who exerted that foreign pressure and why they compromised with the emotions of Mumbai and the nation.”
Reiterating his government’s strong national security stance, Modi stated, “For us, nothing is more important than the safety of our country and citizens. Today’s India responds with strength — it strikes back inside enemy territory. The world saw this during Operation Sindoor.”
Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, a long-awaited infrastructure project aimed at transforming regional connectivity.
“Today marks the end of a long wait for Mumbai. The city now has its second international airport,” he said. “This airport will play a pivotal role in establishing this region as one of Asia’s biggest connectivity hubs.”
Highlighting the economic significance of the project, Modi added, “Farmers from Maharashtra will now be able to connect directly with supermarkets in Europe and the Middle East, boosting agro-exports and rural incomes.”
