In a significant development, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed Parliament on Monday regarding Operation Sindoor, a targeted military response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack. During a special debate in the Lok Sabha, Singh disclosed that India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) made immediate contact with his Pakistani counterpart following the execution of the operation.
Singh noted that the Indian DGMO reached out to Pakistan’s DGMO through a hotline at approximately 1:35 am on May 7, shortly after precision missile strikes were launched against nine terror hubs situated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Punjab province. The Defence Minister elaborated that this communication was intended to clarify the reasons and methods behind the counter-terror operation and to emphasize that India did not seek to escalate tensions further.
Despite these reassurances, Singh mentioned that Pakistan misinterpreted India’s intentions. In the days following the operation, there were multiple violations of the ceasefire agreement by Pakistan, which involved targeting both civilian and military locations along the Line of Control. In light of these provocations, Singh reiterated that India exercised restraint, focusing on the elimination of terrorist infrastructure without causing harm to civilians.
“Our armed forces were instructed to avoid any damage to civilian areas. This was an act of self-defence. We struck only at the sources of terror,” Singh asserted, expressing pride in the precision and success of the operation.
Drawing a parallel with historical significances, Singh referred to the mission as akin to Lord Hanuman’s act of burning Lanka in the Ramayana, a metaphor that underscores both moral and strategic justifications for the action. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had also referenced the epic in a social media post leading up to the debate.
Operation Sindoor commenced in the early hours of May 7, with missile strikes hitting nine identified terror targets. The Press Information Bureau confirmed the operation around 1:44 am, emphasizing that no Pakistani military installations were deliberately targeted.
In a concluding remark, Singh assured the House that no significant Indian military assets were lost during the subsequent retaliatory actions from Pakistan, which included drone strikes and other measures. He reiterated that the operation was a necessary response to the brutal killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam, asserting that the action was taken with precision and a regard for humanity.
