Issuing a stern warning to Pakistan against any 'misadventure', Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that India's response will be 'unprecedented' and 'decisive'. Rajnath also recounted Indian military's success during Operation Sindoor and said Pakistan was brought to its knees in just 22 minutes, adding that it was India's biggest operation against terrorism.
Speaking at the Sainik Samman Sammelan in poll-bound Kerala, the defence minister said India now has zero tolerance against terrorism under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Lauding the Modi government, Rajnath said India's national security has only strengthened over the past few years, adding that the country has taken action against terrorism on "both sides of the border".
"Ever since the NDA government came to power at the Centre, we have taken decisive action against terrorism," he said. "Whether it was the surgical strike after the ‘Uri attack’, the air strike carried out after ‘Pulwama’, or the ‘Operation Sindoor’ conducted after the recent ‘Pahalgam’ incident, we have delivered a powerful blow against terrorism."
Taking a dig at Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2004 to 2014, Rajnath said terror incidents used to happen regularly in India during that period. He further said that the UPA had failed to take any decision action against terrorism and Pakistan. But national security has been priority under the Modi government in the last 12 years, he said.
Rajnath says India ready to deal with energy crisis
In his address, the defence minister also spoke about the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, and said India is ready to deal with the energy crisis, pointing out that the country has "no dearth of fuel or gas". He also pointed out that Indian Navy is escorting Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil transit point that has become a centre of this conflict.
Rajnath, who also chaired an inter-ministerial panel meet last month, further stated that PM Modi has used his diplomatic skills to protect India's interests in the Gulf. He also took veiled dig at opposition over its criticism of the government's handling of issues, and said that there was no need to create panic.
"The conflict that is ongoing in West Asia is quite serious. We are closely monitoring the situation and preparing ourselves to face any situation," Rajnath said. "Our government is capable and ready to deal with every situation. This is the time for the entire country to unite. During times of crisis, the BJP has always stood with the country."
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