Stopped Op Sindoor Voluntarily, were Ready for Long War: Rajnath Singh

Speaking at the ANI National Security Summit 2.0, Singh described Pakistan as the epicenter of international terrorism and emphasized the need to eliminate the ideological and political roots of terrorism.

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Defense Minister emphasized the government’s “zero tolerance policy” against terrorism. He also said India did not fall for Pakistan’s “bluff” of what he called a nuclear threat.

Recalling Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack last year, Singh said the operation was a turning point in India’s approach to terrorism.

“Almost a year has passed since Operation Sindoor… this operation sent a message to the world that India is no longer committed to the old way of thinking where we only make diplomatic statements after attacks. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, no terrorist activity will be tolerated,” he said.

He added that the Indian armed forces have strengthened their capabilities and are ready to scale up operations when necessary.

“During Operation Sindoor, we targeted exactly those responsible. We did not stop the operation due to lack of capacity; we stopped it voluntarily, on our own terms. We are fully prepared for a long war if necessary. Our surge capacity remains strong and is even more robust today,” Singh said. he said.

Criticizing Pakistan, Singh outlined the three dimensions of terrorism – operational, ideological and political – and emphasized that all these need to be addressed to effectively combat terrorism.

“The real roots of terrorism lie in its ideological and political support. This must be eliminated to stop its revival,” he said, adding that Pakistan continues to provide support to terrorist activities.

He compared India’s global reputation in information technology to Pakistan’s image as a center of “international terrorism”. Singh also emphasized that India’s military-industrial complex is ready for both peacetime and rapid wartime requirements.

Following the Pahalgam attack in which 26 people lost their lives, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025. The armed forces targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

The operation resulted in the destruction of nine major terror launch pads linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen, and more than 100 terrorists were reportedly killed.

Pakistan retaliated with drone strikes and bombing, triggering a four-day conflict. India responded with counter-attacks, including the destruction of radar facilities near Lahore and Gujranwala.

After sustaining serious damage, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart and a ceasefire agreement was reached on 10 May.