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‘During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan tried to…’: Rajnath Singh's fresh revelation
In his speech, Rajnath Singh warned Pakistan against aggression towards the Sir Creek region and lauded the efforts of the armed forces in Operation Sindoor.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday addressed soldiers at a military base in Gujarat's Bhuj amid the celebrations of Dussehra and ‘shastra puja’ (worship of weapons). In his speech, he gave a clear warning to Pakistan against any aggression towards the Sir Creek region, which would be met with “resounding response”. He also appreciated the efforts of the armed forces during Operation Sindoor, asserting that it achieved its objective.
Warning to Pakistan over the Sir Creek region
Rajnath Singh warned the neighbouring country that any aggression towards the Sir Creek region will be met with a "resounding response" that could change "history and geography". "In the 1965 war, the Indian Army had demonstrated the capability to reach Lahore. Today in 2025, Pakistan should remember that one route to Karachi passes through the creek," he said further.
The Sir Creek region is a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Gujarat's Rann of Kutch and Pakistan. It is a disputed region due to varying interpretations of maritime boundary lines by the two sides.
"Despite 78 years of independence, the border dispute continues in the Sir Creek area. India has repeatedly attempted to resolve this issue through dialogue, but Pakistan's intentions are flawed and unclear," Singh said.
He also said that the recent expansion by Pakistan and the infrastructure in the nearby areas of Sir Creek reveal the country’s intentions. The defence minister said the Indian Army and the Border Security Force are vigilantly guarding India's borders.
On Operation Sindoor
The defence minister also talked about Operation Sindoor, stating that the objectives of the operation were achieved and that starting a war with Pakistan by escalating the situation was not its aim. He also asserted that India's fight against cross-border terrorism will continue.
"During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate India's defence system from Leh to Sir Creek," he said.
"However, in retaliatory action, Indian forces completely exposed the Pakistani air defence system and sent a message to the world that Indian forces can inflict heavy losses on Pakistan whenever and wherever they wish,"
Operation Sindoor was launched by India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, and targeted terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended on May 10.
Appreciated efforts of armed forces
He praised the joint efforts of the armed forces that helped in executing “Operation Sindoor in record time.” “I also want to extend special congratulations to our brave soldiers and officers for the success of Operation Sindoor," Singh added.
He lauded the courage, strategy and capabilities that helped prove that India is capable of defeating its enemy. “I am fully confident that the courage of all of you, the valour of all of you, will continue to protect India's sovereignty and integrity," he added.
Describing the Army, Air Force and Navy as “three pillars of India's strength", he said that when these three services work together, only then can India effectively face every challenge.
Singh has been performing the ‘shastra puja’ on Dussehra for several years, including during his tenure as the Union home minister in the previous NDA government."For us, weapons are not just tools. Weapons are not merely for displaying power. Rather, we believe that weapons are a means to establish righteousness," he said.
He also emphasised different forms of challenges that India is facing, in the form of "external aggression, sometimes in the form of terrorist organisations, and nowadays, even in the form of cyber warfare and information warfare," he said.
He said that the weapons need to be combined with “morale, mutual unity, and trust” to face these challenges. Citing examples from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, he emphasised that wars in Indian tradition were fought to uphold righteousness, not merely for victory. Addressing the soldiers at a military camp, Singh said, "Mother Durga is a symbol of the fact that when various powers unite, only then is the destruction of demons possible.
