Defence Minister addresses officers & sailors onboard INS Vikrant off the Goa coast

• Operation Sindoor is India’s frontal assault against terrorism; If Pakistan resorts to anything evil, it will face Indian Navy’s firepower: Defence Minister onboard INS Vikrant

• “Operation Sindoor is not yet over; It’s just a pause”

• “Our mighty Carrier Battle Group, albeit silent, ensured that the Pakistani Navy did not venture out or else it would have faced the consequences.”

• India will not hesitate to use every method to root out terrorism, says Mr. Rajnath Singh

• “If Pakistan is serious about talks, it should hand over Hafiz Saeed & Masood Azhar to India so that justice is served”

• “Navy has become a strategic force that strengthens India’s presence in Indian Ocean Region; It warns the enemy that India is no longer just a regional power, it is becoming a global power”

New Delhi. “Operation Sindoor is not just a military action, but India’s frontal assault against terrorism, and if Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing officers & sailors onboard India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the Goa coast on May 30, 2025. Commending the Indian Navy’s “silent service” during Operation Sindoor, Defence Minister stated that the mighty Carrier Battle Group ensured that the Pakistani Navy did not venture out, or else it would have faced the consequences. He sent a clear message to Pakistan that if it tries to cast an evil eye, the opening of New Delhi’s response will be at the hands of the Indian Navy.

Mr. Rajnath Singh asserted that Pakistan needs to understand that the time is up for the dangerous game of terrorism it has been playing since Independence. “Now, if Pakistan instigates any terrorist act against India, it will have to bear the consequences and face defeat. India will not hesitate. It will use every method to root out the menace of terrorism,” he said.

Defence Minister added that anti-India activities are being carried out openly from Pakistani soil and India is completely free to carry out every kind of operation against terrorists on both sides of the border and the sea. Today, the whole world is acknowledging India’s right to protect its citizens against terrorism, he said, emphasising that Pakistan must uproot the nursery of terrorism operating on its soil with its own hands.

Mr. Rajnath Singh called for the handing over of terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India. “Both of them are not only in India’s list of ‘Most Wanted Terrorists’, they are also UN Designated Terrorists. Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the Mumbai attacks, has been brought to India recently. Hafiz Saeed is also guilty of the Mumbai attacks, and justice must be done for his crime,” he said.

On Pakistan’s repeated offer of talks, Defence Minister again clarified: “If there are talks, it will only be on terrorism and PoK. If Pakistan is serious about talks, it should hand over terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India so that justice is served.”

Describing the Indian Navy’s role in the integrated operation as praiseworthy, Mr. Rajnath Singh stated that when the Indian Air Force destroyed the terror bases on Pakistani soil, the Navy’s aggressive deployment in the Arabian Sea, its unmatched maritime domain awareness and supremacy confined the Pakistani Navy to its own shores. “Our Western Fleet ships deployed at sea, within 96 hours of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, carried out successful firings of surface-to-surface & surface-to-air missiles and torpedoes on the western & eastern coast. It demonstrated the combat readiness of our platforms, systems & crew and our intent & readiness, forcing the enemy to come into a defensive posture,” he said.

Defence Minister added that the force projection of the Carrier Battle Group effectively indicated India’s intent and capability. The tremendous power of the Indian Navy, its military acumen and destructive capabilities have broken the enemy’s morale, he said. He urged the Navy to continue leaving no stone unturned in its preparations, reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clear message that if any terrorist attack takes place on the Indian soil, it will be considered as an ‘Act of War’ and responded in the same way.

Mr. Rajnath Singh reasserted that Operation Sindoor is not yet over; it is just a pause, a warning. He added that if Pakistan makes the same mistake again, India’s answer will be harsher.

Lauding the speed, depth and clarity of the Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor, Defence Minister stated that the precision strikes displayed seamless synergy among the three Services as well as coordination among Ministries and Government agencies. He added that the operation sent a clear message to the terrorists & its patrons that India will no longer tolerate and give a befitting reply. “Within a very short span of time, we destroyed Pakistan’s terrorist base and its intentions. Our response was so strong that Pakistan pleaded to stop. We stopped our military actions on our own terms. Our forces had not even started showing their might,” he said.

On his interactions with the Army and Air Force personnel and now the Naval warriors post-Operation Sindoor, Mr. Rajnath Singh expressed satisfaction that whether land, sky or sea, India is fully prepared to deal with any situation anywhere. He recalled the contribution of the older version of INS Vikrant during the Liberation of Goa, stating that the aircraft carrier had led the Indian Navy’s fleet during the operation in 1961, and now, in its new indigenous avatar, it is spearheading India’s resolve against terrorism.

Defence Minister concluded his address by saying: “Today, we are in an era where wars are not fought only with bullets and bombs, but also through cyber space, data dominance and strategic deterrence. It is a matter of pride that the Navy is moving ahead in these areas.” He described the Indian Navy as not just the sentinel of the Indian Ocean, but a strategic force that strengthens India’s presence in the region. It warns the enemy that India is no longer just a regional power, but is moving towards becoming a global power, he said.

Onboard INS Vikrant, Mr. Rajnath Singh was accompanied by the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi; Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh and other senior officials of the Indian Navy.

Defence Minister reached Goa on May 29, 2025, and interacted with the Indian Navy personnel who participated in the initial phase of Operation Sindoor. Apart from INS Vikrant, he embarked on other key frontline warships, which were part of the Carrier Battle Group and played a pivotal role in compelling Pakistani Navy units to operate close to Makran Coast.

Upon his arrival at INS Hansa, Mr. Rajnath Singh was presented a Guard of Honour. He was, thereafter, given an insight on the progress of operations on the maritime front and overall preparedness of the units at sea.