Major attack on India's coastline by neighbouring country's terrorists can't be ruled out: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said a major attack on India's coastline by terrorists from a neighbouring country cannot be ruled out, but the government is committed to coastal and maritime security.

Referring to the anti-terror air strike in Balakot earlier this year, he said India will not let anyone who bothers it "rest in peace".

"We cannot rule out that our neighbouring country's terrorist can carry out a major attack on our coastline which extends from Kutch (in Gujarat) to Kerala. As a defence minister I would like to assure (people) that our country's maritime security is absolutely strong and solidified," Singh said at the 66th birthday celebrations of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi at Kollam in Kerala.

"We are completely committed to coastal and maritime security," he said.

Singh said the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel had died, took place when he was the Union home minister and the whole country will not be able to forget the sacrifice of the soldiers.

"Some days after the Pulwama incident, our air force conducted air-strike at Balakot in Pakistan. We do not bother anyone, but if anyone bothers us, we will not let them rest in peace," the defence minister said, adding, "A country that does not remember the sacrifice of its soldiers is not respected anywhere in the world."