Op Sindoor proof India can hit back at any Pakistani misadventure “far beyond its imagination,” says Defence Minister at Dras;
Peerzada Masarat Shah
1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared that any future talks with Pakistan will focus solely on Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), calling it an integral part of India under illegal occupation.
2. Addressing the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas ceremony at Dras, Singh said Operation Sindoor proved India’s armed forces can respond to Pakistani misadventures “with a severity far beyond its imagination.”
3. Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi all paid tribute to the soldiers who died in the 1999 Kargil War.
4. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, addressing a separate Kargil Vijay Diwas event in New Delhi, termed India’s Partition “the greatest blunder of history” and said retrieval of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains the only pending issue between India and Pakistan.
Dras (Ladakh), Jul 26 (BuzzBytes): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday declared that 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,” reiterating that there would be no talks with Pakistan, and any dialogue would focus solely on Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), which he described as an integral part of India illegally occupied by Pakistan. Addressing the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras, the Defence Minister said every nefarious act against India’s sovereignty would be met with the same resolute response that the Indian Defence Forces delivered to terrorists and their patrons through Operation Sindoor.
RAJNATH SINGH ON PAKISTAN AND OP SINDOOR: Rajnath 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. He added that 27 years have passed since the Kargil War, and the paths taken by India and Pakistan have diverged sharply. “While India is exploring new avenues of innovation, Pakistan is seeking new routes for infiltration. India is engaged in chip design, whereas Pakistan is busy designing terror. India is building a start-up ecosystem, while Pakistan is constructing a terror ecosystem. India is manufacturing semiconductors; Pakistan is preparing suicide bombers. India is recognised for space missions, while Pakistan is running proxy missions. India is providing software to the world, while Pakistan is exporting sleeper cells. India is establishing data centers; Pakistan is setting up radicalisation centers. India is connecting the world through UPI, while Pakistan is linking terrorism with hawala networks. Should Pakistan attempt to obstruct our path to prosperity with its nefarious designs, our defence forces stand ready to deliver a befitting response,” he said. He added that the Central government possesses the political will to give the defence forces a free hand to respond decisively to threats, and no adversary would dare cast a hostile eye on India while its soldiers guard the nation’s borders. According to a separate Urdu-language wire account of the same address, Singh said the armed forces are now equipped with drones, artificial-intelligence-based systems and robotic devices, and that Operation Sindoor “sent the world a message about what befalls those who sponsor terrorism against India.”
TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN: Rajnath Singh paid glowing tributes to India’s gallant soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the 1999 Kargil War, remembering bravehearts including Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey. He termed Kargil Vijay Diwas 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, adding that the Kargil War Memorial reflects the entirety of India as the fallen heroes represented every region of the country. Drawing inspiration from Captain Vikram Batra’s catchphrase “Yeh Dil Maange More,” Singh said India used to import 65 to 70 percent of its defence equipment when the current government took office, but today manufactures about 65 percent of it domestically, listing the indigenous Akash-Teer air defence system, INS Vikrant, Tejas, Prachand, Dhruv, Arjun tank, Pinaka rocket launcher and Astra missile among the achievements. During the event, Singh laid a wreath at the Cenotaph and observed silence in remembrance of the bravehearts of Operation Vijay. He signed the Visitors’ Book, witnessed a “Gaurav Gatha” presentation by two Non-Commissioned Officers, inaugurated a Virtual Walkthrough Portal on the Kargil War, visited the Hut of Remembrance, paid homage at Veer Bhoomi, interacted with soldiers and families over tea, and flagged in the “Shaurya Vijay Yatra” motorcycle rally that he had flagged off from the National War Memorial in New Delhi on July 14. According to wire accounts of the ceremony, the ridge above the memorial saw three military helicopters shower petals on the site, an inter-faith prayer and Beating Retreat were held, ten families of Kargil martyrs were specially honoured during a “Shaurya Sandhya” segment, an urn of “soil of the brave” was handed to the Defence Minister, a film titled “Yudh Sansmaran” on the war’s heroes was screened, and a “Shaurya Bhoj” featured military band performances, motorcycle stunts, and demonstrations of drone and robotic systems along with a cultural programme showcasing Ladakhi traditions.
ARMY CHIEF’S TRIBUTE: Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth, addressing the same gathering, said the soldier of the Indian Army “cannot be compared to that of any other army in the world” and that the force would continue discharging its responsibilities toward the nation’s security, stability and development with complete integrity. He recalled a poem written by a soldier from his own unit that he read out during the ceremony, and said the Indian Army’s role extends beyond guarding borders to nation-building, disaster relief operations and public service. As Rajnath Singh led the defence forces in celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas in Dras, Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, while Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen Sandeep Jain also paid homage to the bravehearts. Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena, paying tribute to the 1999 martyrs, said their “unmatched bravery, supreme sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the motherland will remain a beacon for generations to come,” and that the whole nation salutes the soldiers’ extraordinary courage and supreme sacrifice during Operation Vijay.
PRESIDENT, PM, CONGRESS AND RAHUL GANDHI SALUTE MARTYRS: On the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu wrote on X that she pays tribute to the courageous martyrs who sacrificed their lives defending the motherland during the Kargil war, saying their “unmatched bravery, unwavering resolve and selfless patriotism” exemplify the finest traditions of India’s armed forces and that the nation will forever remain indebted to their sacrifices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted that “on Kargil Vijay Diwas, our nation expresses gratitude to the brave soldiers for their extraordinary courage and commitment towards securing India. Their valour in the face of the most formidable conditions will forever remain a source of national pride. Their unwavering patriotism and devotion to duty will continue to inspire generations.” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post on X, congratulated the soldiers, their families and all citizens on the occasion and saluted “our immortal warriors who made the supreme sacrifice defending the motherland in the Kargil war,” saying their courage and dedication would remain a source of inspiration. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, wrote that the nation pays tribute to all the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice defending India’s borders on Kargil Vijay Diwas, and that the country will remain forever indebted to their courage and sacrifice. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also posted on X that during the Kargil War, “brave soldiers displayed extraordinary courage in the inaccessible heights of the Himalayas and forced the enemy army to its knees,” raising the tricolour again at Kargil, and that a grateful nation will never forget the sacrifice and dedication of its soldiers.
DR JITENDRA SINGH: POJK RETRIEVAL THE ONLY PENDING ISSUE: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, addressing a separate 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas commemoration organised by the Jammu Kashmir Peoples’ Forum and the PoJK Youth Forum at the Kashmiri Cultural Centre in New Delhi, described India’s Partition as “the greatest blunder of history” and said the retrieval of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) remains the only pending issue between India and Pakistan. Member of Parliament Bansuri Swaraj attended the programme as Guest of Honour, while Kargil War veteran Col K.K. Sharma (SC, SM and Bar) presided, with Jammu Kashmir Peoples’ Forum convenor Mahinder Mehta leading the organisation of the event. Dr Jitendra Singh said India’s security landscape has undergone a decisive transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the country’s response to external aggression evolving from a reactive approach to one marked by resolve, preparedness and decisive action. Tracing the Kargil conflict to the “prolonged sequence of developments” beginning with Partition, he said the decision inflicted immense human suffering, displaced millions, and laid the foundation for the wars of 1947, 1965, 1971 and Kargil, besides sustained cross-border terrorism, and recalled the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits as one of the gravest humanitarian tragedies witnessed in independent India. He pointed to major infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, including railway connectivity to the Kashmir Valley, the world’s highest railway bridge, new AIIMS institutions and long-pending irrigation projects, saying peace and development share a mutually reinforcing relationship. Referring to the 1994 Parliamentary Resolution, he said there is no issue between India and Pakistan except the retrieval of PoJK, which he reaffirmed is an integral part of India, and called upon the younger generation to draw inspiration from the courage and sacrifice of the Kargil martyrs.
Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every July 26 to mark the anniversary of India’s 1999 victory in Operation Vijay, in which the Indian Army recaptured key Himalayan peaks from Pakistani infiltrators after weeks of high-altitude combat. According to wire accounts, the war claimed 545 lives in all, including 537 Army personnel, five Air Force personnel, one Border Security Force trooper and two civilians.
—(BuzzBytes)
