New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the success of Operation Sindoor proved that India could respond to any misadventure by Pakistan with a severity far beyond what it could imagine.
Addressing the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in Dras, he reiterated that there would be no talks with Pakistan, and that any dialogue would be restricted solely to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which he described as an integral part of India under illegal occupation.
Singh said the line between Pakistan’s military and militants had disappeared, with terrorism having become part of the country’s state policy. He said Pakistan’s military not only sheltered terrorist organisations but also worked alongside them, adding that Operation Sindoor had made clear that India no longer viewed terrorists and the governments backing them as separate entities.
Twenty-seven years after the Kargil War, Singh said India and Pakistan had taken sharply diverging paths. He contrasted India’s progress in chip design, start-ups, semiconductor manufacturing, space missions, software exports, data centres, and UPI-based digital payments with what he described as Pakistan’s parallel investment in terror networks, radicalisation centres, and hawala-linked financing.
He warned that India’s defence forces stood ready to respond firmly should Pakistan attempt to obstruct the country’s path to prosperity, according to an official statement.
Singh said the central government had the political will to give the armed forces a free hand to respond decisively to threats, expressing confidence that no adversary would dare act with hostility while Indian soldiers guarded the nation’s borders.
The defence minister paid tribute to soldiers who lost their lives defending the country during the 1999 Kargil War, naming Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey among those who continue to inspire the youth.
He described Kargil Vijay Diwas as a day that taught the difference between personal success and national duty, and said sacrifice and service formed the backbone of any nation. He also noted that the Kargil War Memorial reflected the unity of the entire country, with fallen soldiers hailing from every region of India.
Referring to ongoing conflicts in West Asia and between Russia and Ukraine, Singh said such situations tested not just military capability but also the resilience and resolve of nations. He said national security remained a shared responsibility, and called for a spirit of ‘Nation First’ among citizens. He clarified he was not asking every Indian to become a soldier, but said citizens should be mentally, morally, and physically prepared to support the nation if required.
Singh further said the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 extended beyond economic prosperity to include strategic strength, cultural pride, and social harmony, and could only be achieved by embracing the same dedication shown by Kargil’s martyrs.
Highlighting progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, Singh said border infrastructure was being continuously strengthened alongside modernisation of military capabilities. He said India previously imported 65-70% of its defence equipment, but now manufactures around 65% domestically.
He referenced indigenous platforms including the Akash-Teer air defence control system, the next-generation Akash missile, INS Vikrant, Tejas, Prachand, Dhruv, Arjun tank, Pinaka rocket launcher, and Astra missile, along with modern drone and counter-drone systems.
Invoking Captain Vikram Batra’s phrase “Yeh Dil Maange More,” he said the government remained committed to developing more advanced weapons, next-generation fighter aircraft, submarines, and missiles indigenously.
