Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s Response to Operation Sindoor
New Delhi, Might 7, 2025 – Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been a central determine in India’s response to Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces’ precision missile strikes on 9 terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on Might 7, 2025, in retaliation for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror assault that killed 26 civilians. Singh’s statements and actions mirror nationwide delight, strategic oversight, and a dedication to counter-terrorism, as outlined beneath.
Key Statements and Actions
- Public Endorsement on X: Hours after the strikes at 1:44 a.m., Singh posted on X, “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” (Victory to Mom India), signaling nationwide delight and help for the operation. This succinct message resonated extensively, with politicians throughout get together strains echoing patriotic sentiments.
- Reward for Precision and Sensitivity: In a media handle later that day, Singh emphasised the operation’s precision, stating, “Indian military has acted with precision, alertness, and sensitivity. Targets we had set have been destroyed with precision as per plan.” He highlighted that no civilian casualties occurred, underscoring India’s restraint in avoiding Pakistani navy amenities.
- Befitting Reply to Terrorism: Singh described Operation Sindoor as a “befitting reply” to the Pahalgam assault, noting that the strikes destroyed terrorist coaching camps. He framed the operation as India exercising its “proper to reply” to assaults on its soil, aligning with the federal government’s zero-tolerance coverage towards terrorism.
- Coordination with Navy Management: Singh engaged instantly with the chiefs of the Indian Military, Navy, and Air Power post-strikes to congratulate them and focus on the evolving state of affairs. Sources point out he briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence, making certain high-level coordination.
- Strategic Context: Days earlier than the operation, Singh vowed a robust response to the Pahalgam assault, stating on the Sanskriti Jagran Mahotsav, “Because the defence minister, it’s my duty to present a befitting reply, by working with the armed forces, to those that solid an evil eye on our nation.” This set the tone for the operation, which he later mentioned fulfilled the nation’s expectations underneath Modi’s management.
Position in Operation Sindoor
Singh performed a pivotal position within the operation’s planning and execution. Throughout a high-level assembly with Nationwide Safety Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Workers Gen Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs, Singh supported Modi’s resolution to grant “full operational freedom” to the armed forces to pick targets, timing, and strategies. The operation, named Sindoor in tribute to ladies who misplaced their husbands within the Pahalgam assault, focused key Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) amenities, together with Muridke and Bahawalpur, utilizing precision munitions like standoff cruise missiles and loitering drones.
Political and Public Help
Singh’s management garnered widespread backing. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Piyush Goyal echoed his “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” sentiment, whereas opposition leaders like Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and NCP’s Sharad Pawar praised the armed forces. Singh is about to steer an all-party assembly on Might 8, 2025, alongside House Minister Amit Shah and Minister Kiren Rijiju, to transient political leaders on the operation’s outcomes and focus on the safety state of affairs.
Skeptical Perspective
Whereas Singh’s statements challenge confidence and decisiveness, skeptics may query whether or not the operation’s scale—described as India’s deepest strikes into Pakistan since 1971—dangers escalation with a nuclear-armed neighbor. Pakistan’s reported retaliation, together with artillery fireplace alongside the Line of Management and claims of civilian casualties, raises issues about proportionality, regardless of Singh’s emphasis on restraint. Moreover, some could argue that framing the operation as a “befitting reply” prioritizes political optics over long-term de-escalation methods, although Singh’s deal with precision and non-military targets counters such critiques.
Sources: NDTV, India Right now, The Instances of India, Hindustan Instances, PTI, ANI, posts on X