Operation Sindoor Debate: "India Ready to Help Pakistan Fight Terrorism" Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday offered India’s assistance to Pakistan in combating terrorism if it fails to act, emphasizing that Indian forces are capable of striking terror targets across the border, as demonstrated by Operation Sindoor.

Speaking during a Rajya Sabha discussion on the operation, launched in response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Singh warned that the operation, currently paused, could resume if Pakistan sponsors further terrorism. “There can be a comma but no full stop,” he said, stressing India’s zero-tolerance policy.

Singh congratulated security forces for eliminating three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack, noting that Operation Sindoor, initiated on May 6-7, targeted nine terrorist sites, killing over 100 terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen in a 22-minute precision strike.

He clarified the operation was paused after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations requested a ceasefire, rejecting claims of external pressure, including US President Donald Trump’s mediation assertions. “Our action was in self-defence, not expansionist, aimed at destroying terror infrastructure,” Singh said, adding that no Indian soldiers were harmed.

The minister criticized Pakistan’s appointment as vice-chair of the UN Counter-Terrorism Panel, calling it ironic given its history of sheltering terrorists like the 9/11 mastermind. “While India is the Mother of Democracy, Pakistan is the Father of Global Terrorism,” he remarked, urging the international community to halt funding to Pakistan, as “a large portion fuels terrorism.”

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Addressing opposition queries, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s question on why the operation was halted, Singh countered that the Congress had failed to reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during its rule, reaffirming the BJP’s stance that PoK will eventually join India. He dismissed claims of military losses, urging the opposition to focus on Pakistan’s downed assets.

The debate saw tensions, with Trinamool Congress MPs staging a walkout after Deputy Chairman Harivansh disallowed unrelated points. Posts on X, including from @rajnathsingh and @ANI, highlighted Singh’s resolve and Modi’s praise for the operation’s use of indigenous weapons, though opposition voices like @Jairam_Ramesh criticized the government’s diplomacy, citing Pakistan’s UN role. The discussion reflects India’s hardened stance post-Pahalgam, with 1,147 terror-related deaths in J&K since 2014, per government data.

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