Pakistan targeted temples, gurdwaras and churches in India, says Rajnath Singh
'We never targeted their civilians,' he said while virtually inaugurating the BrahMos Missile complex in Uttar Pradesh. 'With valour and bravery, Indian armed forces displayed restraint and gave a befitting reply by targeting other locations in Pakistan.'
The minister's remarks came a day after an agreement between India and Pakistan to put an end to four days of military tensions that escalated on May 7 when the Indian military carried out strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The strikes were in response to the Pahalgam terror attack , which killed 26 persons on April 22.
The Pakistan Army retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
On Sunday, Singh said that Operation Sindoor was not just a military operation but also 'a symbol of India's political, social and strategic willpower'.
Expressing gratitude to the Indian armed forces, he said that Operation Sindoor was launched to 'demolish terrorist infrastructure' in Pakistan.
'We not only targeted military bases near the border but the reverberation of Indian armed forces was heard even in Rawalpindi where the headquaters of Pakistani Army is located,' he said. 'After Pahalgam incident, the world is watching when India entered Pakistan and carried out multiple strikes.'
Singh added: 'Following the path of zero tolerance against terrorism, our PM [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi has made it clear that it is 'Naya Bharat' which will take effective steps against terrorism on both sides of the border.'
#WATCH | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, "...The anti-India & terror organisations which attacked the crown of Bharat Mata (Kashmir) and erased the 'sindoor' from several families, Indian armed forces got justice for them through #OperationSindoor. So, the entire country is… pic.twitter.com/j5uwVIliYv — ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2025
On Thursday, the Indian armed forces said they had neutralised attempts by Pakistan to use drones and missiles to target military installations in 15 towns and cities on Wednesday night. That evening, India said it had repulsed several attacks using drones and other munitions along the western border.
Overall, 21 persons have been killed in India due to shelling and strikes by Pakistan.
Hours after the the agreement between India and Pakistan to stop military operation, Islamabad on Saturday withdrew the closure of Pakistani airspace to civil aircraft operations, The Indian Express reported.
Earlier in the day, the country had issued a Notice to Airmen, or a NOTAM, announcing the closure of its airspace till 12 pm on Sunday, according to the newspaper. However, a new NOTAM was issued in the evening cancelling the earlier notice.
However, the ban on Indian aircraft from the Pakistani airspace, imposed on April 24, remained in place, The Indian Express reported. India's ban on Pakistani aircraft using its airspace continued to remain in effect.
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