Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday confirmed that India had halted Operation Sindoor voluntarily and on its own terms, and was ready to fight a “long war” against Pakistan.
Singh was speaking at the ANI National Security Summit 2.0, when he described Pakistan as the epicenter of international terrorism and called for uprooting the ideological and political roots of terrorism.
“during In Operation Sindoor, we precisely targeted those who attacked us. I want to make it clear here again that we did not stop this process because our capabilities diminished. We stopped it voluntarily and on our terms, and if necessary, we were fully prepared for a long war.”
The Defense Minister added that the Indian Armed Forces have since expanded their capabilities and become strong in times of sudden need.
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He added: “And we also had a surge capacity, the ability to expand our capabilities in times of sudden need. Not only did we have that capability, we still have it, and it’s stronger than before. So, I don’t think there’s a need to say anything more than that.”
Singh hailed Operation Sindoor as a “turning point” that showed the world that India does not rely solely on diplomatic statements in response to terrorist attacks. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “zero tolerance” policy He said that under his leadership, “no terrorist activity will be tolerated under any circumstances.”
“It has been almost a year since Operation Sindoor, and Operation Sindoor is also a symbol of this new world order. It was a turning point that sent a message to the entire world that India no longer adheres to the old way of thinking, where terrorist attacks happen on our soil, we are only issuing diplomatic statements. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, our government has emphasized that no terrorist activity will be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.
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He said that terrorism is not just an “anti-national act” but has multiple dimensions and can only be dealt with effectively by confronting them all.
He said: “Terrorism is not just an anti-national act. Rather, it has multiple dimensions, and terrorism cannot be dealt with unless we deal with it in all three of its dimensions – operational, ideological and political. The real address of terrorism is its ideological and political roots, where it flourishes.”
He likened terrorism to “the nectar in Ravana’s navel”, saying that even if one head is cut off, another is regenerated. He added that it is necessary to eliminate this source that supports terrorism.
“The ideological nourishment and political sponsorship of terrorism is like the nectar boiling in Ravana’s navel, which after cutting off one head allows another to grow. I believe it is necessary to dry up this source that gives life to terrorism.”
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Singh criticized Pakistan for supporting terrorism, saying that although the two countries gained independence together, India is known globally for its IT, while Pakistan is a hub for other IT, i.e. international terrorism.
“We have always seen that countries like Pakistan constantly support terrorism, which is why both India and Pakistan got their independence at the same time, but today, India is known all over the world for its IT, while Pakistan is a hub for other IT, i.e. international terrorism. Our military-industrial complex has proven that it is not only for peace period, but is also ready for rapid supply during wartime.”
Singh said that during Operation Sindoor, India was threatened with a nuclear attack, but it did not fall for that “hoax”.
The Defense Minister added: “We were threatened with a nuclear attack, but we did not fall for this trick.”
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025 in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, most of them tourists.
