Speaking at an event in Dehradun, India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh strongly condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, describing it as not only an act of violence but also a direct assault on India’s social unity and communal harmony. Singh emphasized that the country’s response—Operation Sindoor—was the most extensive anti-terror campaign in India’s history.
He stressed that the militants behind the Pahalgam tragedy reportedly targeted victims based on their religion. However, Singh clarified that India’s retaliation was not based on faith, but on the actions of those responsible, stating, “They asked about religion before killing. We didn’t ask about ‘dharm’, we responded to their ‘karm’.”
The Pahalgam attack, which took the lives of 26 innocent people, mostly tourists, was met with a decisive military retaliation on May 7, when India launched a powerful series of coordinated strikes under Operation Sindoor. The mission targeted nine terrorist facilities spread across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, marking a strategic escalation in India’s approach to counter-terrorism.
Calling it a “big and tough action,” Singh highlighted that this operation set a new benchmark in India’s defense strategy. “This was the largest counter-terror move in our nation’s history. I say this with full conviction,” Singh noted.
He added that over the past eleven years, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has considerably enhanced its national security framework. “Our mindset and method regarding national defense have completely changed. The world witnessed this transformation during Operation Sindoor,” Singh said.
The operation is now regarded as a pivotal moment in India’s military strategy, noted for both its extensive scope and its assertive, clear communication. Singh emphasized that India’s security decisions now reflect a more proactive and firm approach, ready to act against any threats that endanger the nation’s people or values.
With Operation Sindoor, India has made it abundantly clear that terror will be met with force, and its unity will remain unshaken in the face of such attacks.
