Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday praised Operation Sindoor as a defining moment in India’s counter-terrorism strategy, describing it as a powerful declaration of the nation’s political, social, and strategic will. Speaking during the virtual inauguration of the BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre in Lucknow, Singh underscored the government’s zero-tolerance stance against terrorism, saying, “Even the land across the border is not safe for terrorists and their masters.”
‘आपरेशन सिंदूर’ सिर्फ़ एक सैन्य कार्रवाई भर नहीं है, बल्कि भारत की राजनीतिक, सामाजिक और सामरिक इच्छाशक्ति का प्रतीक है।
हमारे प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi ने स्पष्ट कर दिया है कि यह नया भारत है जो आतंकवाद के ख़िलाफ़ सरहद के इस पार और उस पार दोनों तरफ़ प्रभावी कारवाई करता है। pic.twitter.com/Lmoj3MrYey
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 11, 2025
Singh declared, pointing to previous retaliatory measures such as the post-Uri surgical strikes and the Balakot air strikes after Pulwama. He added that India’s operations are aimed solely at dismantling terror networks, in stark contrast to Pakistan’s indiscriminate targeting of civilian spaces, including places of worship.
Singh emphasized that the Indian Armed Forces carried out the strikes with both “valor and restraint,” ensuring civilian lives were spared while dealing a significant blow to terrorist operatives and their backers. “Operation Sindoor is not just a military response — it is a message,” he said.
In the same address, Singh also marked a major milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in defence by unveiling the new BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility, a sprawling 200-acre complex in Lucknow built at a cost of approximately ₹300 crore. Part of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), the centre will handle crucial components of the supersonic BrahMos missile, including avionics, ramjet engines, and booster subassemblies.
“This facility is a cornerstone of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision,” Singh noted, predicting the centre will create around 1,500 jobs — both direct and indirect — and accelerate industrial growth in the region. He lauded BrahMos as not just a missile, but “a message of deterrence and strength,” and hailed it as a technological marvel born of Indo-Russian defence collaboration.
प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi के नेतृत्व में दिया जा रहा रक्षा क्षेत्र में आत्मनिर्भरता को बढ़ावा। pic.twitter.com/TmFfzVpIpo
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 11, 2025
Referring to former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Singh said, “In this world, fear has no place, only strength respects strength,” reinforcing the strategic intent behind India’s growing defence capabilities.
India’s defence sector continues to gain global attention, with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reporting a worldwide defence expenditure of $2,718 billion in 2024. Against this backdrop, the Modi government’s Make-in-India, Make-for-the-World initiative aims to make India a major player in the global arms market. So far, the UPDIC has attracted over ₹4,000 crore in investments and signed 180 MoUs worth a proposed ₹34,000 crore, covering everything from drones and small arms to aircraft and ammunition.
