Pakistan 'admitted defeat' in Op Sindoor, Rajnath Singh tells Lok Sabha

In Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh said over 100 terrorists were killed in PoK in a 22-minute strike; India stopped Pakistan's missile-drone attack and gave a strong reply by hitting key military sites

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday briefed Lok Sabha about Operation Sindoor, emphasising that Pakistan "admitted defeat and offered to cease hostilities".

 

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Singh said the Indian forces eliminated over 100 terrorists in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during Operation Sindoor and it was completed in just 22 minutes.

 

The operation, carried out on May 6 and 7, was described by Singh as not merely a military strike but “a decisive demonstration of India’s sovereignty, its identity, and our policy against terrorism". He said Indian forces launched “well-coordinated strikes” on nine terrorist infrastructure targets, killing over 100 terrorists, trainers, and handlers, most affiliated with banned outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

 

 

India responded to missile-drone barrage on May 10

 

Rajnath Singh said that despite India’s defensive posture, Pakistan retaliated on May 10 by launching a large-scale attack using missiles, drones, rockets, and electronic warfare systems.

 

“Our actions were entirely in self-defence, neither provocative nor expansionist. Yet, on May 10, Pakistan launched a large-scale attack,” he told Parliament.

 

In response, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a powerful counter strike targeting airfields, command centres, and defence systems on the western front. Singh described India’s reply as “bold, concrete, and effective".

 

'Objective was to neutralise terror nurseries, not capture land'

 

Emphasising that the aim of Operation Sindoor was to eliminate terror bases, not acquire territory, the defence minister said, “Crossing the border or capturing territory was not the objective. The purpose was to eliminate those terror nurseries that Pakistan had nurtured for years.”

 

He clarified that the operation was paused only after achieving its political and military objectives. “To say or believe that this operation was stopped under any pressure is baseless and utterly incorrect.”

 

'Pakistan sought ceasefire after IAF response'

 

Rajnath Singh said the IAF’s retaliatory strike led Pakistan to seek a ceasefire. “Pakistan admitted defeat and offered to cease hostilities... with the caveat that this Operation has only been paused,” he noted.

 

He added that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) contacted India on May 10, and formal talks on May 12 resulted in halting military actions.

 

'Opposition should ask if terror bases were hit'

 

Responding to criticism over aircraft losses, Singh challenged the opposition’s focus, saying they should instead ask whether India succeeded in destroying terror bases. “The answer is, yes.”

 

Concluding his address, Singh reaffirmed India’s commitment to peace but warned that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, “India can go to any extent against terrorism.”