Rajnath Singh warns Pakistan of a bigger strike than Operation Sindoor if it repeats provocation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warned Pakistan that if it attempts any fresh provocation, India will deliver a bigger strike than the last time. He was addressing the National Defence Conclave-2026, where he spoke on India's defence preparedness, action against terrorism and indigenous arms manufacturing.

Singh said India has always stood for peace, but this outlook should not be mistaken for weakness. He said this in a very firm tone.

Referring to Operation Sindoor, he said the Indian Army proved its bravery and valour in the conflict. According to him, after the Pahalgam terror attack the Army destroyed terror hideouts located in Pakistan. He said India struck directly at terrorism.

The Defence Minister said that earlier, when terror attacks took place, governments only expressed grief before the world. Now India does not stop at expressing grief but takes steps to uproot the centres that nurture terrorism. He reiterated that any further provocation from Pakistan would be met with a strike bigger than the previous action.

Singh made clear that India gives priority to peace, but that strength and capability are necessary to sustain it. He said the present era is one of modern and varied forms of warfare, so India must be ready for every kind and every level of conflict.

He said that in the present circumstances India needs both hard power and soft power. He said a lone terrorist's plot can be foiled if an alert citizen stands firm against the attacker.

The Defence Minister claimed that the lifespan of terrorists is shrinking and that many are now being killed within a year. He also said that very advanced weapons, including Akash, Akash Teer and BrahMos, were used during Operation Sindoor. He made clear that he would not mention some of the weapons at the event. He described the success of the campaign as a sign of trust in Indian industries.

Singh said the world currently faces security challenges of a 5D nature, which have to be confronted every moment. He said several countries are struggling with instability, and that disinformation plays a major role in creating instability in countries.

On defence production, the Defence Minister said India is focusing on future defence production and giving priority to ease of doing business. Participation of private companies in defence production has increased. India's defence exports have reached a record level and indigenously made weapons are being sold to other countries. More than 500 companies are currently working in defence production. To raise indigenous production and self-reliance in the sector, 75 per cent of the earmarked budget is being spent on Indian manufacturers, he said.