•If they don’t give or keep the commitment, how do we respond? We have tried many things in the past. We have amassed forces in the past, but it didn’t work. It worked only for some time. We are using international pressure this time and a certain moral authority. But if it happens again... You are not dealing with nice guys.

It’s a very important question and can’t be answered in a casual manner. We are raising our level of preparedness. So, hopefully such a crime cannot be committed again. Yes, here and there something can happen. But we are definitely raising our level of preparedness. The world is on our side on this issue.

•Are you angry that this happened?

I was angry, but I know that anger will not take me very far, and that anger has to be channelised into action and preparedness. Everyone was angry. Everyone was deeply anguished. It’s a nation of a billion plus people and cannot be held to ransom by 10 so-called jehadi terrorists. We couldn’t protect ourselves against 10 indoctrinated, brainwashed terrorists. It was humiliating. Therefore, we have to raise our level of preparedness. We have to respond swiftly and in a manner that will send a clear message to Pakistan.

•Let’s talk about things that we need to do, and those we haven’t done so far.

We need to do a lot of things. We have got our intelligence system more or less fixed, with the re-establishment of MAC (Multi- Agency Committee). After December 4, there is no leak from any central intelligence agency.

... contd.