Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday declared that India would hold talks with Pakistan only on Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), asserting that the region is an integral part of India under their illegal occupation.
Speaking at the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in Dras in Ladakh, the Defence Minister said any challenge to India’s sovereignty would invite a decisive military response.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, GOC 14 Corps Lt General Madanraj Pande and GOC 8 Mountain Division Maj General AP Singh also joined Rajnath Singh in paying homage to the Kargil War heroes.
Singh said the success of Operation Sindoor established India’s capability to respond to Pakistan’s “misadventures” with a severity far beyond its imagination. He maintained that India had made it clear it would no longer differentiate between terrorists and the governments that harbour and support them.
The Defence Minister accused Pakistan of making terrorism an instrument of state policy, alleging that its military works in tandem with terror groups. He said India, on the other hand, was focused on innovation, economic growth and technological advancement while remaining fully prepared to counter any cross-border threat.
He said the trajectories of India and Pakistan had diverged sharply over the past 27 years after the Kargil war, with India emerging as a centre of innovation and technological progress while Pakistan remained preoccupied with terrorism, infiltration and radicalisation. “India is manufacturing semiconductors; Pakistan is preparing suicide bombers. India is building a start-up ecosystem, while Pakistan is constructing a terror ecosystem,” he added.
“The success of Operation Sindoor is proof that India possesses the capability to respond to Pakistan’s every misadventure with a severity far beyond its imagination,” said Singh, reiterating that there would be no talks with Pakistan, and any dialogue would focus solely on PoK, which, he described, as an integral part of India illegally occupied by Pakistan.
Singh asserted that, in Pakistan, the distinction between the military and militants has vanished, with the country making terrorism a part of its state policy. “Pakistan’s military not only shelters terrorist organisations but also works with them. That is why, during Op Sindoor, we made it clear that India no longer views terrorists and the governments that nurture them as separate entities,” he said.
Singh asserted that the Central government possesses the political will to give the defence forces a free hand to respond decisively to threats, exuding confidence that no adversary would dare cast a hostile eye on India while its soldiers guard the nation’s borders.
The Defence Minister paid glowing tributes to India’s gallant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend the motherland during the 1999 Kargil War. He remembered the countless bravehearts, including Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, who continue to inspire the nation, especially the youth. He termed Kargil Vijay Diwas as a day of inspiration for every young person who seeks to understand the distinction between personal success and national duty. “This day teaches us that the spirit of ‘sacrifice’ and ‘service’ forms the backbone of any nation,” he said.
He highlighted that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is according highest priority to national security and the welfare of soldiers. “Kargil War has taught us that we must remain ever-vigilant at our borders in every season and under all circumstances”, he said, pointing out that border infrastructure is being continuously strengthened, with equal emphasis being laid on modernising the military capabilities in sync with the changing times to enhance their operational efficiency.