Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asserted that the Indian Armed Forces’ recent military action against Pakistan has sent a powerful and far-reaching message — one that was “felt as far as Rawalpindi,” the nerve center of the Pakistani military establishment.
Speaking virtually at the inauguration of the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in New Delhi, Singh highlighted both the strategic precision and restraint exhibited by the Indian military in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of several civilians and personnel.
“The Indian Army has not only demonstrated valour and courage but also restraint, delivering a strong response by striking multiple Pakistani military positions,” said Singh.
“Our action was not limited to military posts near the border. In fact, the impact of India’s armed forces was felt as far as Rawalpindi, where the headquarters of the Pakistani army is located,” he added, suggesting that the retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor had a deep strategic and psychological impact on the Pakistani military establishment.
Rawalpindi, located in northern Pakistan, is home to the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army, making Singh’s comment especially significant. While he did not provide operational specifics, the mention of Rawalpindi was widely interpreted as a direct warning to Pakistan’s military leadership, who many in India blame for orchestrating or enabling terrorist activities across the border.
The minister was addressing the audience during the launch of a new BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility, which aims to boost India’s missile manufacturing capabilities. The BrahMos missile, a product of Indo-Russian collaboration, is among the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles and is seen as a cornerstone of India’s precision strike capabilities.
“Facilities like this represent India’s growing defence self-reliance. BrahMos is not just a missile; it’s a symbol of our technological prowess and strategic deterrence,” Singh noted.
Singh’s remarks come days after India launched Operation Sindoor, a series of strikes on terror launchpads and military infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC) and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. The operation reportedly neutralized key terror assets, drawing praise from across the Indian political spectrum.
While Pakistan has denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack and downplayed India’s claims, Singh’s comments are the latest in a series of high-level assertions reinforcing India’s narrative of military superiority and moral justification.
