India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has praised the successful execution of “Operation Sindoor.”
Speaking at the National Quality Conclave, Singh said that a large number of terrorists were eliminated during the operation, which was carried out in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 innocent people.
The Indian army said the strikes had targeted terrorists and terrorist training camps for two Islamist militant groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which have long been accused of freely operating out of Pakistan and have been implicated in some of India’s deadliest terror attacks.
He congratulated the Indian armed forces for the “action they took yesterday and the courage and bravery they showed.” He stated, “Terror camps in Pakistan and PoK[Pakistan occupied Kashmir] have been neutralised, it is a matter of pride for us.”
Singh highlighted the accuracy of the strikes and the restraint shown by the forces in avoiding civilian harm.
“The precision with which Operation Sindoor was executed is unimaginable, very praiseworthy. Nine terrorist camps were destroyed in it and a large number of terrorists were killed.
“This operation was carried out without harming any innocent and with minimum collateral damage.”
Rajnath Singh
Also, Singh issued a strong message to India’s adversaries, warning that while India prefers dialogue, it will not tolerate repeated provocations.
“We have always played the role of a responsible nation. We have always been in favour of resolving problems through dialogue.
“But this does not mean that anyone should take unfair advantage of our patience. If anyone tries to take advantage of our patience, then they will have to be fully prepared to face ‘quality action’ just like yesterday. We are prepared for such a responsible response in the future as well.”
Rajnath Singh
Additionally, Singh called for a stronger Indian defence manufacturing industry. “We have to make the Indian Defence industry a strong and trusted brand,” he stated.
“Today, I have come to make an important appeal to you. This appeal is to build a strong world leading and state of the art brand India. So that when countries have doubts about products in the world’s defence market, they choose Brand India. Whenever in doubt, go for India, this should be our USP.”
Rajnath Singh
Pakistan PM Vows To ‘Avenge’ Victims Of “Operation Sindoor”
Singh’s remarks follows after Pakistan has vowed retaliation for the death of 31 people killed in overnight missile attacks by the Indian air force, raising fears of an escalating conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries.
In a late night address to the nation late on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said, “We make this pledge, that we will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs.”
His comments came after Pakistan’s government accused India of “igniting an inferno” with strikes on nine sites in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the Pakistani province of Punjab and authorised its military to take “corresponding” retaliatory action against India.
The Indian army described the missile strikes as “not escalatory, proportionate and responsible.”
Also, Sharif thanked Turkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his “solidarity and support” at what he described as a “critical time” for Pakistan.
In a post on social media, Sharif said that he appreciated the “prayers of our Turkish brethren for the martyrs” following India’s “heinous” missile strikes.
The Pakistani Prime Minister said that he briefed the Turkish President “on the valiant efforts of our armed forces who repulsed the enemy with their bravery and professional superiority.”
He asserted that Pakistan will protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity “at all costs,” adding that Pakistan was also grateful for Turkiye’s efforts to secure de-escalation and peace in South Asia.
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