India had the capability to do more during Operation Sindoor but chose a disciplined and coordinated military response instead, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday while addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) summit in Delhi. He emphasized that the operation reflected both India’s military might and its restraint, delivering a clear message to the world and to Pakistan. The Minister added that the government’s new approach is firmly rooted in national interest, focusing on defeating terrorism and reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Operation Sindoor: Strategic Response with a Message
Referring to the military retaliation that followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Rajnath Singh said Operation Sindoor was a precise and powerful response. Launched on May 7, the operation targeted terror outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, resulting in the elimination of over 100 militants. Rajnath Singh noted that after Pakistan’s retaliation through cross-border shelling and drone attacks, India hit back decisively by disabling key infrastructure at 11 Pakistani airbases. A ceasefire understanding was later announced on May 10.
Rajnath Singh remarked, “You saw how we first destroyed terrorist hideouts and then struck enemy military bases and airfields. We could have done even more, but chose to demonstrate discipline and strategic maturity.”
New Doctrine on Pakistan and PoK
The Defence Minister declared a significant shift in India’s diplomatic and military posture toward Pakistan. He stated that future talks, if any, will revolve only around terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. There will be no discussion on any other matter, he asserted.
Reiterating India’s emotional and cultural bond with the people of PoK, Rajnath Singh said, “The people of PoK are our own. They are part of our family. We believe that those separated from us today will return to India’s mainstream one day—voluntarily and with dignity.”
He concluded by expressing confidence that despite years of separation, the emotional connect with PoK remains intact. “There are only a few who have been misled. India has always believed in connecting hearts, and the day is not far when PoK will return and say: I am Indian, and I have come back.”
