No dialogue with Pakistan except on PoK: Rajnath
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday ruled out any talks with Pakistan except on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), asserting that any future dialogue would focus solely on the territory, which he described as an integral part of India illegally occupied by Pakistan. Addressing the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations at Dras in Ladakh, he also warned that India would respond decisively to any attempt to undermine its sovereignty.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, Singh said the operation had demonstrated India’s ability to retaliate against Pakistan’s “misadventures” with force beyond its expectations. He asserted that Pakistan had made terrorism a part of its state policy and that India no longer distinguished between terrorists and the governments that shelter them.
Drawing a sharp contrast between the two neighbours, the Defence Minister said India was pursuing innovation, technological advancement and economic growth, while Pakistan was promoting terrorism, infiltration and radicalisation. “India is manufacturing semiconductors; Pakistan is preparing suicide bombers. India is building a start-up ecosystem, while Pakistan is constructing a terror ecosystem,” he said.
“The success of Operation Sindoor is proof that India possesses the capability to respond to Pakistan’s every misadventure with a severity far beyond its imagination,” said Singh, reiterating that there would be no talks with Pakistan, and any dialogue would focus solely on PoK, which, he described, as an integral part of India illegally occupied by Pakistan.
Singh asserted that, in Pakistan, the distinction between the military and militants has vanished, with the country making terrorism a part of its state policy. “Pakistan’s military not only shelters terrorist organisations but also works with them. That is why, during Op Sindoor, we made it clear that India no longer views terrorists and the governments that nurture them as separate entities,” he said.
Raksha Mantri added that 27 years have passed after the Kargil War, and the paths taken by India and Pakistan have diverged sharply. “While India is exploring new avenues of innovation, Pakistan is seeking new routes for infiltration. India is engaged in chip design, whereas Pakistan is busy designing terror. India is building a start-up ecosystem, while Pakistan is constructing a terror ecosystem. India is manufacturing semiconductors; Pakistan is preparing suicide bombers. India is recognised for space missions, while Pakistan is running proxy missions. India is sending satellites into space, whereas Pakistan focuses on sending terrorists across the border. India is providing software to the world, while Pakistan is exporting sleeper cells. India is establishing data centers; Pakistan is setting up radicalisation centers. India is connecting the world through UPI, while Pakistan is linking terrorism with hawala networks. In short, our paths diverge; should Pakistan attempt to obstruct our path to prosperity with its nefarious designs, our defence forces stand ready to deliver a befitting response,” he stated.
Singh asserted that the Central government possesses the political will to give the defence forces a free hand to respond decisively to threats, exuding confidence that no adversary would dare cast a hostile eye on India while its soldiers guard the nation’s borders.
The Defence Minister paid glowing tributes to India’s gallant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend the motherland during the 1999 Kargil War. He remembered the countless bravehearts, including Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, who continue to inspire the nation, especially the youth. He termed Kargil Vijay Diwas as a day of inspiration for every young person who seeks to understand the distinction between personal success and national duty. “This day teaches us that the spirit of ‘sacrifice’ and ‘service’ forms the backbone of any nation,” he said.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, GOC 14 Corps Lt General Madanraj Pande and GOC 8 Mountain Division Maj General AP Singh also joined Rajnath Singh in paying homage to the Kargil War heroes.