New Delhi, July 29: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday warned Pakistan that India would not hesitate to strike again if terror activities continued, asserting that Indian forces were fully capable of fighting terrorism on both sides of the border.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during a special discussion on Operation Sindoor India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack Singh said, “India wants an end to terrorism worldwide, including in Pakistan. If Pakistan is unable to take action against terrorists, it should take help from India. Our forces are capable of fighting terror on this side of the border and on the other side as well, which Operation Sindoor has already proven.”
He revealed that three terrorists involved in the April Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, had been eliminated in a joint operation by Indian forces. “I congratulate our forces for killing these terrorists. They were directly responsible for the killings in Pahalgam,” he said.
Singh stressed that Operation Sindoor temporarily suspended after Pakistan’s request could resume without hesitation. “Pakistan’s DGMO requested us to stop the hostilities. We agreed but made it clear this is a suspension, not a termination. If Pakistan commits any more terror incidents, Operation Sindoor will restart immediately. Our vision is that this operation should continue. There may be a comma, but no full stop.”
He shared that after the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the service chiefs and gave them a free hand to determine the response based on strategic understanding and the regional security situation.
Singh described Operation Sindoor as a decisive message to Pakistan. “Our action was in self-defence, not expansionist. It aimed to destroy terror infrastructure and send a clear message: India has zero tolerance for terrorism. The political-military objective was to punish Pakistan for using terror as a proxy war,” he stated.
Taking a swipe at opposition parties for questioning India’s resolve on Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), Singh said, “There will come a day I cannot say when but a day will come when people in PoJK will proudly say they are Indians.”
The Defence Minister urged the international community to stop funding Pakistan, claiming that much of its resources are being diverted to terror activities. He also criticized the United Nations for allowing Pakistan’s appointment to a key counter-terrorism committee.
“Through Operation Sindoor, we have made it clear that India can go to any extent against terrorism,” Singh asserted, praising the armed forces for achieving all set objectives. (JKNS)
