"India chooses path of hard power when negotiations fail": Rajnath Singh lauds Op Sindoor, Balakot strikes

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 17 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that India knows how to give a befitting reply to those who “fail to understand the language of peace and goodwill”.

Attending the Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations here, Rajnath Singh said ‘Operation Sindoor, 2016 Surgical Strike and 2019 Balakot Air Strike’ are proof that India’s patience is its strength, not weakness.

“We choose the path of hard power when negotiations fail to yield any solution,” the Defence Minister said while asserting a strong and resolute new India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, believes in dialogue before opting for hard power.

Defence Minister pointed out that while terrorists killed innocent citizens in Pahalgam based on their religion, the Indian Armed Forces killed terrorists and destroyed their hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during Operation Sindoor based on their ‘karma’.

Crediting the valour and dedication of the Armed Forces for the successful execution, he reiterated that the operation is only on hold, and it will resume in full force in case another terrorist activity is orchestrated from across the border.

He emphasised that India rejected third-party intervention over the ceasefire during Operation Sindoor, stating that no third party can interfere in India’s internal matters.

Rajnath Singh also hailed the role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as ‘Iron Man’ in uniting North and South India.

Pointing out that Hyderabad Liberation Day and PM Modi’s birthday fall on 17 September, he said that, “Just like Sardar Patel, our Prime Minister is working to strengthen India culturally, socially, spiritually and economically.”

He also commended the courage of those who participated in Operation Polo, stating that it was not merely a military operation; it was Sardar Patel’s decisive blow that shattered the Razakars’ conspiracy and brought Hyderabad back to India.

Defence Minister termed the success of Operation Polo and the merger of Hyderabad with India as a glorious chapter, which demonstrated to the world that India has always been both capable and powerful in protecting its unity.

On May 7, Operation Sindoor was initiated in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians. It showcased a calibrated, tri-services response that embodied precision, professionalism, and purpose. Operation Sindoor was conceived as a punitive and targeted campaign to dismantle the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and deeper inside Pakistan. Indian Armed Forces carried out strikes and hit terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.

Operation Sindoor was not just a tactical success but a strategic statement. It demonstrated India’s capacity for high-precision, coordinated military action across land, air, and sea.

In February 2019, in an intelligence-led operation, India struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. (ANI)

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