Centre rejects misrepresentation of Rajnath Singh’s Parliament address on Operation Sindoor

The Centre on Saturday rejected what it described as the misrepresentation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s address in Parliament on July 28, 2025, regarding Operation Sindoor.

Issuing a clarification, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement that certain posts circulating on social media had sought to misrepresent the Defence Minister’s speech delivered on the floor of Parliament.

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“These posts have selectively quoted an isolated portion of the speech to falsely imply that the Defence Minister claimed that no Indian soldier lost his life during Operation Sindoor. These claims are deliberately misleading and factually incorrect,” the ministry said.

The government further stated that those attempting to create controversy over the Defence Minister’s parliamentary remarks had done so by deliberately ignoring the full context of his statement.

The ministry said that, at the time of the Defence Minister’s address, a persistent narrative had gained traction in sections of the media and on social media, claiming that Indian Air Force pilots had been killed during Operation Sindoor.

“This narrative was entirely false, yet it was being amplified aggressively with the clear intent of undermining the success of the operation and demoralising public sentiment. It was in direct response to this specific and misleading narrative that the Raksha Mantri made the statement in question. His remarks were, therefore, a targeted and context-specific response to a falsehood that was gaining dangerous traction at that time,” the statement said.

The ministry added that the Defence Minister’s address should be viewed in its entirety.

“His statement in Parliament was a proud and accurate account of the remarkable success of Operation Sindoor, during which the Indian Armed Forces demonstrated exceptional precision, resolve and military professionalism,” it said.

“During the operation, more than 100 terrorists and Pakistani soldiers were neutralised. Pakistani air bases and military infrastructure along the Line of Control also suffered extensive damage. The address was a fitting tribute to the courage and capability of the Indian Armed Forces and a clear message to those who wish India harm,” the statement added.

The controversy over Rajnath Singh’s remarks that no soldiers had died during Operation Sindoor resurfaced after the names of six personnel who lost their lives during the operation were inscribed on the National War Memorial in New Delhi on Friday. The inscriptions marked the first public disclosure of the names of the armed forces personnel who died during the operation.

The development prompted the Opposition Congress to criticise the Centre and the Defence Minister, alleging that Singh’s earlier remarks had downplayed the sacrifice of the soldiers and failed to accord them the recognition and honour they deserved.