PM Modi's recorded speech hints he locked May 7 for strike

NEW DELHI: It is rare for PM Narendra Modi to send recorded messages. Equipped with impressive oratorical skills, he prefers to go "live". Yet, his decision to record his message for the Global Conference on Space Exploration on Wednesday, which had promised to be a normal day, suggests he had settled on May 6-7 as the date to avenge the mass killings of tourists in J&K's Pahalgam.

The address, which was recorded on Tuesday, was played on Wednesday hours after India struck multiple targets in Pakistan and POK, and when the govt and the defence brass were reviewing the success and making preparations for possible retaliation by Pakistan.

While recording the speech, Modi dropped no hint of the impending strike. "India's space journey is not about racing others. It is about reaching higher together. Together, we share a common goal to explore space for the good of humanity," the PM said calmly, even when his mind may have been occupied with plans presented to him by the leaders of the armed forces.

The PM also spoke about India's strides in the space sector, from launching a small rocket in 1963 to becoming the first nation to land near the south pole of the Moon. "Our rockets carry more than payloads. They carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians. India's achievements are significant scientific milestones. Beyond that, they are proof that the human spirit can defy gravity," he added. tnn