'Roar of Indian forces reached all the way to Rawalpindi': Rajnath Singh hails 'Operation Sindoor'

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday proclaimed that ' Operation Sindoor ' had sent a thunderous message deep into Pakistan, saying that "roar of Indian forces reached all the way to Rawalpindi", the nerve centre of the Pakistani military establishment.

Speaking at the virtual inauguration of the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in Lucknow, Singh said the operation exemplifies India's political resolve, military prowess, and uncompromising stand on terrorism. “We did not limit our action to border posts. The roar of Indian forces reached Rawalpindi, the very headquarters of the Pakistani Army,” he said.

Launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, 'Operation Sindoor' targeted nine terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The defence minister said the operation stands as a clear warning: terrorist infrastructure, wherever it may be, even across the border, is not beyond India’s reach.

"The whole world saw what happens to those who attempt terrorist attacks in India, after the Uri attack, our forces carried out a surgical strike inside Pakistan. After Pulwama, there was an airstrike on Balakot, and now after the Pahalgam incident, the world has witnessed India conducting multiple strikes inside Pakistan," Rajnath Singh said.

He further added that, this is not the India of old. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, this "New India" responds with strength and precision.

Singh specified that India refrained from targeting civilians, while Pakistan provoked by attacking temples and gurdwaras. “Our forces responded with courage and restraint, choosing military targets with precision. We struck where it hurt, both symbolically and strategically.”

Framing 'Operation Sindoor' as a symbol of India’s unified political, social, and military willpower, Singh said the operation had put anti-India forces and their backers on notice: no safe haven exists, not even in Rawalpindi.