Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday described Operation Sindoor as a powerful testament to India’s political, social, and strategic resolve.

He asserted that the Indian Army has delivered justice to the anti-India and terrorist forces that targeted innocent families and defiled the sanctity of the nation.

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The impact of this operation, he said, was not confined to border areas alone; its reverberations reached the Pakistani Army’s headquarters in Rawalpindi.

The Defence Minister virtually inaugurated the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in Lucknow on Sunday, marking a significant milestone in India’s defence sector.

Addressing the event from New Delhi, he also highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor and reaffirmed India’s unwavering stance against terrorism.

In his address, the Defence Minister said, “With courage, discipline, and unmatched bravery, the Indian Army dealt a decisive blow to Pakistan-based terror networks.”

He emphasised that Operation Sindoor was not merely a military exercise, but a clear demonstration of India’s strong determination to eliminate terrorism at its roots.

The Defence Minister clarified that while the Indian Army meticulously avoided civilian targets, Pakistan attempted to strike at civilian areas, including temples, gurdwaras, and churches in India.

Referring to past terror attacks in Uri, Pulwama, and the recent incident in Pahalgam, Rajnath Singh underscored that India has consistently conveyed its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism through decisive actions such as surgical strikes, the Balakot air strikes, and now, multiple targeted operations.

He stated that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the world has witnessed a new India that will not hesitate to act decisively against terrorism, even across its borders.

Speaking on the significance of the day, Singh termed the inauguration of the BrahMos Aerospace facility on National Technology Day (May 11) as historic. He recalled the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests, conducted under the leadership of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which marked India’s emergence as a strategic power.

The Defence Minister expressed pride in having laid the foundation stone for the BrahMos facility and commended Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for completing the project in a record 40 months. He lauded the efforts of the scientists, engineers, and the state government, stating that his dream of seeing Lucknow contribute meaningfully to India’s defence infrastructure was finally being realised.

Describing the BrahMos missile as one of the world’s fastest supersonic missiles, he said it is not just a weapon, but a symbol of India’s military prowess, technological excellence, and unshakable commitment to national security.

Rajnath Singh described the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor as a pivotal initiative in India’s journey to becoming a global hub for defence production. Spanning key cities such as Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Agra, and Aligarh, the corridor is poised to transform these nodes into future engines of economic growth and industrial development.

Citing Kanpur as an example, he recalled its legacy as the ‘Manchester of the East’, a once-thriving industrial powerhouse that lost momentum post-independence. He expressed confidence that the Defence Corridor will restore the prominence of Kanpur and other participating regions to new heights of prosperity.

“With the UP Defence Corridor, Kanpur will once again rise to a level of development so impressive that one day, if a city in the West achieves remarkable progress, it might be called the ‘Kanpur of the West’,” he remarked.

The Defence Minister highlighted significant investments already underway in the corridor, including aircraft manufacturing, UAVs, drones, ammunition, composite materials, small arms, defence textiles, and parachute production. He also announced the launch of a titanium and superalloy materials plant by PTC Industries in Lucknow and laying the foundation for seven other critical projects.

Rajnath Singh reiterated the government’s ambition to establish Uttar Pradesh as one of the world’s foremost defence manufacturing centres. So far, around 180 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) valued at Rs 34,000 crore have been signed, with Rs 4,000 crore already invested.

Marking the significance of National Technology Day, he emphasised how rapid technological advancements are reshaping both civil and defence sectors. He noted that BrahMos represents a powerful fusion of Indian and Russian defence technology. Just as Prayagraj is globally recognised for the confluence of sacred rivers, he envisioned Lucknow becoming synonymous with a confluence of cutting-edge technology.

He further stated that the BrahMos facility would generate substantial employment and bolster small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision—a joint effort by the Governments of India and Uttar Pradesh.