India becoming global power, no longer just a regional power: Rajnath Singh
New Delhi, May 30: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday said that India was now becoming a global power and no longer just a regional power.
Addressing officers and sailors onboard Indiaís first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the Goa coast, the Defence Minister warned the enemy that India was no longer just a regional power, but moving towards becoming a global power.
ìOperation Sindoor is not just a military action, but Indiaís frontal assault against terrorism, and if Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy,î he said.
Commending the Indian Navyís ìsilent serviceî during ëOperation Sindoorí, Singh said that the mighty Carrier Battle Group ensured that the Pakistani Navy did not venture out, or else it would have faced the consequences.
He sent a clear message to Pakistan that if it tries to cast an evil eye, the opening of New Delhis response will be at the hands of the Indian Navy.
Singh said that Pakistan needs to understand that the time is up for the dangerous game of terrorism it has been playing since independence.
ìNow, if Pakistan instigates any terrorist act against India, it will have to bear the consequences and face defeat. India will not hesitate. It will use every method to root out the menace of terrorism,î he said.
The Defence Minister said that anti-India activities were being carried out openly from Pakistani soil and India was completely free to carry out every kind of operation against terrorists on both sides of the border and the sea.
ìToday, the whole world is acknowledging Indiaís right to protect its citizens against terrorism,î he said, emphasising that Pakistan must uproot the nursery of terrorism operating on its soil with its own hands.
Singh called for the handing over of terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India.
ìBoth are not only in Indiaís list of ëMost Wanted Terroristsí, they are also UN Designated Terrorists. Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the Mumbai attacks, has been brought to India recently. Hafiz Saeed is also guilty of the Mumbai attacks, and justice must be done for his crime,î he said.
On Pakistanís repeated offer of talks, the Defence Minister said, ìIf there are talks, it will only be on terrorism and PoK. If Pakistan is serious about talks, it should hand over terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India so that justice is served.î
Describing the Indian Navyís role in the integrated operation as praiseworthy, he said that when the Indian Air Force destroyed the terror bases on Pakistani soil, the Navyís aggressive deployment in the Arabian Sea, its unmatched maritime domain awareness and supremacy confined the Pakistani Navy to its shores.
ìOur Western Fleet ships deployed at sea, within 96 hours of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, carried out successful firings of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles and torpedoes on the western and eastern coast. It demonstrated the combat readiness of our platforms, systems and crew and our intent and readiness, forcing the enemy to come into a defensive posture,î Singh said.
He said that the force projection of the Carrier Battle Group effectively indicated Indiaís intent and capability.
ìThe tremendous power of the Indian Navy, its military acumen and destructive capabilities have broken the enemyís morale,î the Defence Minister said.
He urged the Navy to continue leaving no stone unturned in its preparations, reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modiís clear message that if any terrorist attack takes place on Indian soil, it will be considered an ëact of warí and responded in the same way.
Singh reasserted that ëOperation Sindoorí was not yet over; it was just a pause, a warning.
He said that if Pakistan makes the same mistake again, Indiaís answer would be harsher.
Lauding the speed, depth and clarity of the armed forces during 'Operation Sindoorí, the Defence M Minister said that the precision strikes displayed seamless synergy among the three services as well as coordination among ministries and government agencies.
The Defence Minister said that the operation sent a clear message to the terrorists and their patrons that India would no longer tolerate and give a befitting reply.
ìWithin a very short period, we destroyed Pakistan's terrorist base and its intentions. Our response was so strong that Pakistan pleaded to stop. We stopped our military actions on our terms. Our forces had not even started showing their might,î he said.
On his interactions with the Army and Air Force personnel and now the Naval warriors post-ëOperation Sindoorí, Singh expressed satisfaction that whether land, sky or sea, India was fully prepared to deal with any situation anywhere.
He recalled the contribution of the older version of INS Vikrant during the Liberation of Goa, stating that the aircraft carrier had led the Indian Navyís fleet during the operation in 1961, and now, in its new indigenous avatar, it is spearheading Indiaís resolve against terrorism.
The Defence Minister said, ìToday, we are in an era where wars are not fought only with bullets and bombs, but also through cyberspace, data dominance and strategic deterrence. It is a matter of pride that the Navy is moving ahead in these areas.î
He described the Indian Navy as not just the sentinel of the Indian Ocean, but a strategic force that strengthens Indiaís presence in the region.
Onboard INS Vikrant, Singh was accompanied by the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi; Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh and other senior officials of the Indian Navy.
The Defence Minister reached Goa on Thursday and interacted with the Indian Navy personnel who participated in the initial phase of ëOperation Sindoorí.
Apart from INS Vikrant, he embarked on other key frontline warships, which were part of the Carrier Battle Group and played a pivotal role in compelling Pakistani Navy units to operate close to Makran Coast.
Upon his arrival at INS Hansa, Singh was presented with a Guard of Honour.
He was, thereafter, given an insight into the progress of operations on the maritime front and the overall preparedness of the units at sea.
