Defence Minister says India has strengthened capabilities and can expand swiftly in times of need
April 30, 2026: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday asserted that India halted Operation Sindoor voluntarily and on its own terms, stressing that the country was fully prepared for a prolonged conflict if required. Speaking at the ANI National Security Summit 2.0, he said the operation precisely targeted those responsible for terror attacks and was not stopped due to any limitation in capability.
Singh described Operation Sindoor as a “turning point” that demonstrated India’s shift from passive responses to decisive action against terrorism. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for adopting a zero-tolerance policy, adding that India’s armed forces now possess enhanced “surge capacity” to scale operations swiftly during emergencies. He also emphasised that terrorism must be tackled across operational, ideological, and political dimensions to eliminate its roots.
Targeting Pakistan, Singh called it the “epicentre of international terrorism” and accused it of consistently backing terror activities. Referring to threats made during the operation, he said India did not succumb to nuclear intimidation. Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.