New India is assertive, resolute and will no longer be a victim of terrorism, says Rajnath in J&K

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday (June 20, 2025) asserted that Operation Sindoor was proof that the new India was assertive, resolute and would no longer be a victim of terrorism.

He was addressing jawans at the Barakhana organised on the eve of International Day of Yoga 2025 at the Army’s Northern Command in Udhampur.

Mr. Singh said, “Operation Sindoor sent a powerful message to terrorists and their patrons that new India is assertive, resolute and will no longer be a victim of terrorism, but respond with strength and strategy.”

The Defence Minister commended the precision, coordination and courage of the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies in destroying terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, asserting that India’s change in policy towards terrorism was a result of this unmatched valour and dedication. Operation Sindoor was not just a military action, it was a warning to the terrorists sitting across the border, and more than that — to those who support them. India would no longer tolerate terrorism and give a befitting reply if its unity and integrity were harmed.

He emphasised that Operation Sindoor was not over yet. This was just a pause.

Mr. Singh defined the life of a soldier as the one filled with courage and sacrifice, adding that the nation would forever remain indebted to the services rendered by the Armed Forces in the duty of the motherland. He urged the personnel to keep focusing on physical and mental well-being, underlining the importance of strength and wellness in a soldier’s life. “If you are strong, our borders will be strong. When the borders are strong, India will be strong,” he said.

Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and other senior Army officials were present on the occasion.

On May 10, the Udhampur base was targeted by Pakistani drones but all the drones were successfully intercepted and neutralised by the Army’s air defence system.