Hyderabad: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday praised the Indian armed forces for their decisive action during Operation Sindoor, asserting that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, “no power can dare to challenge India’s sovereignty.”
Speaking at an event marking the 78th anniversary of Hyderabad Liberation Day, Singh referred to the May 7 strike in Bahawalpur, carried out in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
“The commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed admitted that during the Bahawalpur attack, the family of terrorist Masood Azhar was destroyed. This was the bravery and courage of our Army. A video of this was also released yesterday. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India’s strength has grown even further,” Singh said.
The Defence Minister also unveiled a statue of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who was instrumental in integrating Hyderabad and other princely states into the Indian Union after Independence.
Singh dismissed speculation that the current pause in Operation Sindoor was a result of international pressure.
“Some people say that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan happened because of someone’s interference. I want to make it clear — no one has stopped our operations. If any terror incident occurs, Operation Sindoor will resume,” he said.
His remarks come amid renewed debate over the role of external powers in the India-Pakistan ceasefire. Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, in an interview with Al Jazeera, categorically denied third-party mediation, echoing India’s long-standing position.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed involvement in facilitating the ceasefire, a claim India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has described as “bizarre, if not unfair.” India maintains that the ceasefire was the result of direct Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks between the two countries.
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