Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India could have inflicted more damage to the Pakistani establishment during Operation Sindoor but chose to exercise restraint and showcase coordination of power to the world.
He also made an outreach to people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, saying they were part of the Indian family, and said the day was not far when they would return to India’s mainstream voluntarily.
Addressing the inaugural plenary of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) summit in Delhi, Rajnath said: “You saw how we first destroyed the terrorist hideouts and then the enemy’s military airbases. Karne ko hum kuch aur bhi kar sakte the (We could have done even more), but with power must also come restraint. We presented a great example of coordination of power and restraint to the world.”
The operation, he said, showcased not only India’s military capability but also its maturity — “shakti aur sayyam (power with restraint)”.
Underscoring how India’s approach has now fundamentally shifted in dealing with Pakistan, he said. “We have redesigned and redefined India’s stance against terrorism. From now on, whenever talks happen, they will only be about terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. There will be no discussion with Islamabad on any other issue.”
Following the strike, he said, Pakistan has realised “the heavy cost of running the business of terrorism”.
He said the people of PoK were part of the Indian family and the day was not far when they would return to India’s mainstream voluntarily. Most of them, he said, feel a“deep connection” with India and only a few of them have been “misled”.
“The people of PoK are our own. They are part of our family. We firmly believe that our brothers, who are today geographically and politically separated from us, will one day surely return to the Indian mainstream, with self-respect and of their own free will.”
Highlighting India’s growing domestic defence capabilities, Rajnath credited the success of Operation Sindoor to indigenous military systems.
“Our home-grown systems during Operation Sindoor have shocked the entire world, proving that we possess the strength to penetrate any enemy’s armour. Today, it has been proved that Make in India is important for both the security and prosperity of India.”
Lauding the government’s approval for private participation in the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, which was announced on Monday, the defence minister called it a “bold and decisive decision”. The project will involve the development of five prototypes followed by full-scale production.
He urged Indian industry to treat defence production as a core national responsibility and asked them to consider personal interest as their karma and national interest as their dharma.
The chiefs of the army, navy and air force were also felicitated at the CII event for their leadership of the operation.
