A day before India celebrated its 79th Independence Day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in his 'Sandesh to Soldiers,' praised Operation Sindoor as a "balanced military response" and an exhibition of the nation's move towards cutting-edge, self-dependent defence capabilities.
Singh called the operation, conducted under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "a shining example of precise and successful military strategy," using drone warfare, layered air defence, electronic warfare, and network-centric operations.
"India is now not relying on foreign technology," he added, noting that the mission is an indication of the government's thrust towards indigenous defence manufacturing.
In a precise, pinpoint attack, nine terror camps—offices of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed among them—were neutralized without entering the Line of Control or killing any civilians. "We are tolerant, but when the issue is our people's security and our nation's dignity, we meet every challenge head-on," Singh proclaimed, making an undertaking to uproot terrorism completely.
On the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, Singh said that Operations Sindoor and Mahadev were timely reactions, equally avenging previous attacks on Parliament, the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, and Amarnath pilgrims. Singh praised the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police for killing three top LeT commanders in Dachigam last month.
In the defence industry, Singh pointed out that local production is now fulfilling 65 per cent of needs compared to 30 per cent ten years ago, with annual production growing to Rs 1.51 lakh crore and exports touching a record Rs 23,622 crore. The targets for 2029 include Rs 3 lakh crore of production and Rs 50,000 crore of exports.
Singh also highlighted continued modernisation of the Armed Forces, referencing vessels such as INS Arihant, Rafale-Marine fighters, and Prachand helicopters. On infrastructure, he referred to 125 BRO projects, such as the Shinkun La tunnel in Ladakh, which will become the world's highest.
Marking growing women's participation in the forces, the minister spoke of the NDA's first 17 women graduates and historic naval sails by women officers.
He invited the youth to be part of nation-building through initiatives such as Digital India and Make in India. Extending Independence Day wishes, Singh thanked soldiers, veterans, and their families, reiterating India's resolve towards a secure and self-dependent future.
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