PM Modi and Defence Minister Singh assert India’s right to retaliate firmly against terror attacks, dismissing nuclear threats and establishing a new policy of decisive action against state-sponsored terrorism.BY PC Bureau
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi – Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India would not succumb to “nuclear blackmail” by Islamabad, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday questioned Pakistan’s credibility as a nuclear-armed state and called for international supervision of its arsenal.
Speaking in Srinagar, Mr. Singh remarked, “The world knows the precision of our forces — when they strike, the enemy does the counting. We didn’t bow to nuclear threats. The global community has witnessed how recklessly Pakistan has issued such threats. From the soil of Srinagar, I ask: are nuclear weapons safe in the hands of such a rogue and irresponsible nation?”
He further urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to oversee Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, citing concerns over its stability and accountability.
The Defence Minister made these remarks during his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir following Operation Sindoor — India’s cross-border strike on terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. He visited the Army’s 15 Corps Headquarters, reviewed border security, and inspected unexploded ordnance dropped by Pakistan.
#WATCH | Srinagar, J&K: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, "…I ask the entire world if nuclear weapons are safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation. I believe that Pakistan's nuclear weapons should be taken under the supervision of International Atomic… pic.twitter.com/7tQA7mbZZI
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2025
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Accompanied by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Mr. Singh also paid tribute to soldiers and civilians who lost their lives in the recent violence. “I bow to the supreme sacrifice of our brave jawans and mourn the loss of innocent civilians. I salute the courage of the injured soldiers and wish them a speedy recovery,” he said.
Calling Operation Sindoor “the biggest action against terrorism,” Mr. Singh stated that India would go to any extent to eliminate the terror threat. “Pakistan must stop giving shelter to terrorists,” he warned.
PM Modi: ‘Operation Sindoor is the New Normal’
Prime Minister Modi, in an address following Operation Sindoor, laid out a new national security doctrine. He emphasized that India would:
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Respond decisively to any terrorist attack on Indian soil.
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Not be intimidated by nuclear threats and would strike terror havens directly.
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Treat terrorist groups and the states that harbor them as inseparable.
He reiterated this stance during a visit to the Adampur Air Force Base in Punjab — one of the installations reportedly targeted by Pakistan in retaliation. Pakistan claimed it destroyed India’s S-400 air defence system with hypersonic missiles launched from JF-17 jets — a claim Indian officials denied.
“Our intent is clear — any future attacks will meet a firm response,” Modi said. Citing the 2016 Uri attack and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, he described Operation Sindoor as a continuation of this evolving doctrine. “This is the new normal,” he declared.
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Operation Sindoor: India’s Show of Force
Operation Sindoor involved 24 missile strikes across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir within 25 minutes, reportedly eliminating over 100 terrorists. The operation, according to Indian authorities, specifically targeted key terror leadership rather than low-level operatives.
Following the strikes, Pakistan launched multiple drone and missile attacks against Indian military posts in Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab. India successfully repelled the assaults. Although Islamabad eventually called for a ceasefire, violations were reported within hours.
