India ready to help Pakistan act against terrorism, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said if Pakistan cannot take action against terrorism on its soil, India is ready to help the neighbouring country as Indian forces are capable of fighting terror on the other side of the border as well.

Initiating a special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack have been eliminated by Indian forces.

He further said that Operation Sindoor India's response to the Pahalgam attack -- has been suspended, and can be resumed anytime if Pakistan indulges in terror activities in India again.

"India wants terrorism to end in the whole world, including Pakistan. I would advise Pakistan, if you are not able to take action against terrorism, take help from India, we are ready to help. Our forces are capable of fighting terror on this side of the border, as well as on the other side, this has been proved by Operation Sindoor," he said.

"If Pakistan commits any terror incidents in future, we will relaunch Operation Sindoor without hesitation," he said. "Our vision is that Operation Sindoor should carry on continuously. There can be a comma but no full stop," he stressed.

Singh also congratulated the security forces for killing three terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam attack in which 26 people were killed.

"I congratulate the forces for killing three terrorists who carried out the Pahalgam terror attack in April. These are the terrorists who killed people in Pahalgam," the defence minister said.

He said Home Minister Amit Shah has provided details of the joint operation by the forces in the Lok Sabha.

Singh said post the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the service chiefs, and gave them free hand to use their wisdom, strategic understanding and regional security situation to decide on the response.

He said the military leadership also showed maturity, and stressed that India's response - Operation Sindoor - was aimed at giving a clear message that India will take strong action and go to any extent against terror.

"Our action was in self-defence, it was not expansionist...The aim was to destroy terror infrastructure and give the message of zero tolerance for terror," Singh said.

"The political-military objective was to punish Pakistan for using terrorism as a proxy war," he added.

Singh said Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) urged India to stop the hostilities, and India accepted it on the condition that the operation would be suspended, not terminated.

"If Pakistan commits any terror incidents in future, we will relaunch Operation Sindoor without hesitation," he said. "Our vision is that Operation Sindoor should carry on continuously. There can be a comma but no full stop," he said.

While expressing surprise over questions raised by some opposition leaders over getting back Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), Singh said, "I am surprised at this demand, because when they were in power, they did just the opposite".

"There would come a day, I cannot predict when, but a day would come when people in PoK would be able to say proudly that they are Indians," he said.

He said the forces achieved the goals set under the operation.

"Through Operation Sindoor, we have given a clear message, India can go to any extent against terrorism," he said.

Singh appealed to the international community to stop funding for Pakistan, stating that a major portion goes into funding terror activities.

He also slammed the United Nations over Pakistan's appointment to the key counter-terrorism committee.

Earlier, as the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, after it was adjourned around 11 am, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said the discussion on Operation Sindoor would be taken up, and urged the members to be mindful of the sensitive nature of the issue.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien tried to raise a point of order.

Harivansh, however, did not allow it, stating that it was not related to the topic of discussion. TMC MPs raised slogans against the SIR, and some MPs also trooped into the Well. As the Chair did not allow the Opposition MPs to speak, MPs from TMC and some other INDIA bloc parties staged a walkout from the House.