India hasn’t been “fortunate” with its neighbours since Independence, but shaped its own destiny, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, underscoring that military modernisation, better training and equipment upgrades are being pursued to ensure armed forces never face a shortage of resources.

Speaking at an event in his South Block office to mark the diamond jubilee of the 1965 India-Pakistan war, Rajnath interacted with veterans and the families of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty six decades ago.

In an apparent reference to the wars against Pakistan and China, the defence minister said: “Since Independence, India hasn’t been fortunate with its neighbours, but we haven’t accepted these challenges as fate. We’ve shaped our own destiny. We saw an example of this in Operation Sindoor. That incident leaves us heavy-hearted and filled with anger, but it didn’t break our morale….

“The courage and conviction with which the armed forces carried out the May 7 Operation Sindoor against Pakistan proved that victory was no longer an exception for the country but a habit. We must always maintain this habit,” he said.

He hailed the courage and sacrifice of the soldiers during the 1965 war. Calling the war “a true test of India’s strength”, Rajnath said Pakistan miscalculated by attempting to intimidate India with infiltration and guerrilla tactics.

“Pakistan thought it could frighten us through infiltration, guerrilla tactics and surprise attacks. But every Indian soldier serves the motherland with the conviction that the sovereignty and integrity of the nation will never be compromised at any cost,” Rajnath said.

The defence minister also highlighted the “unmatched bravery” displayed during key battles such as those of Asal Uttar, Chawinda and Phillora during the 1965 war, making special mention of Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for destroying several enemy tanks before laying down his life at Asal Uttar.

“Our brave Abdul Hamid taught us that bravery is not about the size of the weapon, but the size of the heart,” Rajnath said. “His valour teaches us that even in the most difficult circumstances, the combination of courage, restraint and patriotism can make the impossible possible.”

He hailed the political will and leadership of that time.

“No war is fought only on the battlefield. Victory in a war is the result of the collective resolve of the entire nation. During that time in 1965, India managed to face the uncertainty and challenges, also due to the strong-willed leadership of Lal Bahadur Shastri. He not only provided decisive political leadership but also raised the morale of the entire nation to greater heights. Even under adverse circumstances, we displayed unity and won the war,” Rajnath said.

The India-Pakistani war of 1965 was triggered in August when Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar, an attempt to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir. What followed was 22 days of fighting across multiple fronts in Punjab, Rajasthan and Kashmir.