Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a hard-hitting speech at the ANI National Security Summit 2.0, calling Pakistan the ‘epicentre of international terrorism’ and revealing that India voluntarily halted Operation Sindoor despite being fully prepared for a prolonged war. He invoked the Hindi proverb ‘Bhay bin hoye na preet’– meaning ‘there can be no love without fear’- to underscore deterrence as the cornerstone of India’s strategy against terror threats.

Operation Sindoor: A voluntary endgame

Nearly a year after ‘Operation Sindoor’, Rajnath Singh clarified that India stopped the operation on its own terms, not due to any shortfall in capabilities. Launched on May 7, 2025, as retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, the strikes targeted nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

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Indian forces destroyed facilities linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen, eliminating over 100 terrorists. Pakistan’s drone attacks and shelling escalated into a four-day conflict, prompting retaliatory strikes on radar installations in Lahore and near Gujranwala. A ceasefire followed on May 10 after Pakistan’s DGMO contacted India’s counterpart.

“We didn’t stop because our capabilities diminished. We stopped voluntarily, on our own terms, and if necessary, we were fully prepared for a long war,” Singh asserted, highlighting India’s surge capacity and robust military readiness.

‘Bhay bin hoye na preet’: Deterrence redefined

Rajnath Singh framed Operation Sindoor as a ‘concrete manifestation of deterrence,’ drawing on the cultural wisdom of “Bhay bin hoye na preet” to explain that fear is essential for peace in international relations. He praised the lengthy preparations behind the 72-hour operation, crediting indigenous weapons, storage capacity and the armed forces’ expanded capabilities.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s ‘zero tolerance policy,’ India rejected Pakistan’s nuclear bluff and shifted from mere diplomatic protests to decisive action. “India is no longer the one that adheres to the old way of thinking,” he said, signaling a new era of proactive defence.

Pakistan as ‘epicentre’ of terrorism

Defence Miniser Rajnath Singh dissected terrorism’s three dimensions- operational, ideological and political- urging the uprooting of its roots in Pakistan. He likened ideological and political patronage to “nectar in Ravana’s navel,” where severing one head allows another to regrow, calling for its complete eradication.

While India gained independence alongside Pakistan, Singh contrasted their paths: India excels in Information Technology, while Pakistan has become synonymous with ‘International Terrorism’. He condemned efforts to cloak terrorism in religion, warning it provides cover fire for perpetrators.

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Post-Operation Sindoor, India’s defence exports soared 62.66 per cent to approximately Rs 39,000 crore in FY 2025-26, with global interest in indigenous weapons surging. Rajnath Singh hailed the military-industrial complex’s wartime readiness and congratulated the chiefs of the three services for their preparedness after the Pahalgam briefing.

In a volatile world marked by Russia-Ukraine and West Asia conflicts, he advocated an orderly world order where national interests do not escalate into destruction. At the SCO Defence Ministers’ Summit, he pushed for dignity, respect and conflict prevention amid weaponised technology and weakening international institutions.