Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Hails ‘Operation Sindoor’ as Measured Strike Against Terror Bases

By A Staff Reporter

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has lauded the Indian Army’s precision strikes under “Operation Sindoor” as a firm but restrained response to last month’s massacre in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed in a militant attack. The strikes, conducted early Wednesday, hit nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir that New Delhi claims were used as terror launchpads.

“Bharat Mata ki Jai,” Singh posted on X, expressing pride in the armed forces. He emphasized that the action was “focused, measured and non-escalatory,” reiterating the government’s intent to target only militant infrastructure while avoiding Pakistani military installations or civilian areas.

In an official statement, the Indian government said the strikes were in direct retaliation for what it described as coordinated terror operations launched from across the border. “A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” the statement read.

India has long accused Pakistan of harboring militant groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. During a press conference on Wednesday, Indian officials displayed satellite imagery and video footage of the strikes and identified multiple training camps believed to house operatives linked to those groups.

Pakistan, for its part, claimed that the Indian strikes killed 26 civilians and said it downed five Indian jets—claims India has not addressed directly. Islamabad has denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack and accused New Delhi of warmongering ahead of domestic elections.