On Friday, while aboard India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, off the coast of Goa, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared that Pakistan could have been fragmented into four parts if the Indian Navy had been fully deployed during ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Singh stated that the events of 1971 demonstrated the Indian Navy’s capacity to alter the course of history. He asserted that ‘Operation Sindoor’ was not concluded but merely “a pause and a warning,” emphasizing that India’s response to any future Pakistani transgressions would be “even harsher,” allowing no chance for recovery. The Defence Minister characterized ‘Operation Sindoor’ as “India’s direct assault on terrorism,” vowing to employ every conceivable and inconceivable method against Pakistan.
He praised the deployment of the INS Vikrant Carrier Battle Group as a clear indicator of India’s naval might and strategic resolve, noting that the sheer readiness of the Indian Navy had “broken the enemy’s spirit” and “stunned them.”
Referencing the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Singh highlighted Hafiz Saeed as the mastermind and underscored the impossibility of achieving justice for the crime within Pakistan. He mentioned the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, another accused in the Mumbai attacks.
Singh reiterated India’s stance on dialogue with Pakistan, stating that talks would exclusively focus on terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He made it clear that if Pakistan was serious about dialogue, it must hand over terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar.
underscoring its capacity to house over 30 aircraft, including fighter jets and helicopters. He expressed immense pride and confidence in India’s maritime power, assuring that India’s maritime borders are secure.
The Minister also highlighted the Western Fleet’s recent achievement of multiple successful firings of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles and torpedoes from both eastern and western coasts within 96 hours, demonstrating India’s combat readiness and strategic reach.
Singh further elaborated that modern warfare extends beyond conventional combat to include cyber capabilities, space dominance, and strategic deterrence, in all of which the Indian Navy is advancing. He declared the Navy to be not just the guardian of the Indian Ocean but a global strategic force. He concluded by commending the inter-service synergy and coordination with other ministries and agencies during ‘Operation Sindoor’.
