New Delhi, Jul 29: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India is prepared to assist Pakistan in countering terrorism if Islamabad is unable to act on its own.
During a discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said Indian forces are capable of handling threats not just within the country, but also across the border. “If Pakistan finds itself unable to deal with terror elements, India is willing to provide support,” he said.
Rajnath said that Operation Sindoor was carried out as a direct response to the April attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. He said three individuals responsible for that attack had been located and killed.
The Defence Minister said the military action followed a meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the heads of the armed forces. He said during the meeting, the PM gave the go-ahead for an appropriate response.
According to Singh, the goal of the operation was to destroy camps and structures used for planning and executing attacks. He said the aim was also to signal that India does not accept the use of violence across borders.
Singh told the House that the operation had now been halted. “However, if further incidents take place, the military action could resume,” he said.
Rajnath said the decision to stop the operation was taken after Pakistan’s military leadership reached out with a request to end the hostilities. India, he said, agreed to a pause, not a permanent end.
Singh said the operation was planned in such a way that it would only target those directly involved in terrorist activities. Civilian areas were deliberately left out of the operations to avoid unintended casualties, he said.
The Defence Minister said that allowing Pakistan to be part of a major counter-terrorism panel at the international level was questionable. “The global community should review any financial support being sent to Pakistan, as such funds were not being used for development but for supporting hostile elements,” he said.
During the discussion, Rajnath said that a time may come when those living in areas under Pakistan’s control may voluntarily express their desire to be a part of India.
The Rajya Sabha session was briefly disrupted as some opposition members protested and later walked out after being denied a chance to speak. (KNO)
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