Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, addressing the Lok Sabha on July 28, 2025, initiated a detailed discussion on Operation Sindoor—India’s robust and decisive military response to a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir.

Singh asserted that “New India can go to any extent to uproot terror,” emphasising that the era of mere dossier exchanges had been replaced by swift and effective action.

According to him, the armed forces launched Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of May 6–7, responding directly to the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist assault in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 innocent lives, including a Nepali citizen, targeted based on religious identity.

Singh explained that the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, convened a high-level meeting immediately after the Pahalgam attack, giving full operational freedom to military commanders to select targets and strategy.

Operation Sindoor was meticulously planned as a punitive, intelligence-led campaign. It targeted nine terrorist infrastructure facilities—primarily training camps belonging to groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen—across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Notably, the operation aimed to minimise civilian harm, engaging only terror hideouts and avoiding military or civilian installations.

Within just 22 minutes, the Indian armed forces successfully neutralised more than 100 terrorists and their handlers. Evidence of the operation’s success, including clear documentation from the night time strikes, was shared with the public promptly. Singh underlined that none of the Indian soldiers were harmed, and the mission’s objectives were achieved with precision and professionalism.

In his speech, Singh rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and firmly stated that Operation Sindoor was “paused” because the mission’s politico-military aims were fully accomplished—not due to any external pressure. He further clarified that if Pakistan were to engage in further hostilities, India was prepared to resume its campaign.

Operation Sindoor was not conceptualised to start a full-scale war but to deliver a forceful deterrent message—demonstrating that India will not tolerate terror “nurseries” fostered across its borders.

When Pakistan, in response, escalated with drone and missile attacks on Indian military installations, India’s integrated air defence systems—including S400 and Akash missile platforms—effectively repelled these offensives without suffering significant damage.

Singh’s remarks highlighted a pivotal shift in India’s counterterrorism doctrine: decisive, intelligence-led actions backed by operational synergy among the armed services and robust political will.

He reaffirmed India’s longstanding desire for peace but stressed that outreach would now be matched with immediate and credible retaliation against any acts threatening Indian citizens or sovereignty.

Operation Sindoor, thus, serves as a clear symbol of India’s resolve to deter, punish, and eliminate terrorism at its source, fundamentally redefining regional security dynamics.

Based On A PTI Report