Defence minister Rajnath Singh stated on Thursday that India has articulated its new counter-terrorism doctrine through Op Sindoor, issuing a stern warning that any future terror attack originating from Pakistani soil will be viewed as an 'act of war', and any hostile actor contemplating misadventure will receive a deserving response.

Addressing the audience at the News18 DEFCON 2026 summit held in New Delhi, the Union defence minister asserted that India clearly possesses both the 'power of argument' and the 'argument of power', adding that the nation will communicate in whichever language the opposing side understands best.

He emphasised that while India continues its efforts towards establishing global peace through diplomacy, the government is simultaneously strengthening the national defence and strategic capabilities to counter any potential threat to its sovereignty and integrity.

The defence minister pointed out that major military milestones including the cross-border surgical strikes, the Balakot air strike, and Op Sindoor have decisively proven that India possesses the requisite capability, resolve, and military power to safeguard its vital national interests.

He noted that India remains a peace-loving nation that has never advocated for war, but underlined that the country must always maintain robust operational preparedness to protect its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and citizens.

Highlighting a fundamental shift in strategic perspective, Rajnath Singh stated that viewing national security purely through the prism of protecting geographical boundaries constitutes a 'perimeter fallacy', reiterating the government's commitment to modernising the armed forces for emerging warfare challenges.

He elaborated that modern-day security challenges go far beyond conventional arms and artillery, encompassing the lethal deployment of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles, sophisticated cyber-attacks, lone wolf operations, and coordinated disinformation campaigns by adversaries.

The defence minister stated that national security is intrinsically linked to economic and energy security, cautioning that hostile forces might attempt to destabilise the national economy or disrupt vital energy supply lines, which is why India has adopted a holistic defence posture to tackle these fluid threats.

He listed out the government's initiatives aimed at securing strategic autonomy and self-reliance under Atmanirbharta in defence, pointing to active engagements in QUAD to foster a free and open Indo-Pacific, along with multilateral platforms like I2U2, BIMSTEC, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Focusing on military doctrine, Rajnath Singh defined 'terrain', 'technology', and 'thinking' as the three critical Ts of modern warfare, noting that the defence ministry is putting immense emphasis on technological innovation to tackle rapidly evolving warfare domains.

He explained that military readiness without active diplomacy risks creating a security dilemma and unwanted confrontation, whereas relying solely on diplomacy without backing it up with hard military capability is perceived as weakness and compromises national security, stressing the need for a balanced approach.

The defence minister asserted that no physical border can stop India from dismantling cross-border terrorist infrastructure, adding that the government will make no distinction between individual terrorists and the states sponsoring them.

He highlighted that by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, India sent an unambiguous message that blood and water cannot flow together, marking a complete transition from traditional 'strategic containment' and 'deterrence by denial' to 'deterrence by punishment'.

To support this strategic shift, the budget for defence research and development has been increased by over 112 per cent over the past 12 years, rising from ₹13,700 crore in the 2014-15 financial year to more than ₹29,000 crore today, with 25 per cent of defence R&D funds opened up for academia, private industry, and Indian Start-Up enterprises.

He further revealed that over 5,500 defence items have been incorporated across more than 10 positive indigenisation lists to boost domestic defence manufacturing in hubs like Bangalore and replace previously imported military equipment.

ANI