New Delhi/Bhuj: In a clear message to Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday warned the neighbouring country against any aggression towards the Sir Creek region and said that any such move would be met with a “resounding response” that could change “history and geography”.
The defence minister made the remarks at a military base near the border city of Bhuj in Gujarat as he celebrated Dussehra with soldiers and performed ‘shastra puja’ (worship of weapons) on the occasion.
Singh also said that the Indian military successfully achieved all the objectives of Operation Sindoor and starting a war with Pakistan by escalating the situation was not its aim.
However, his comments on the disputed Sir Creek drew much attention.
“Any aggression by Pakistan in the Sir Creek area will be met with a resounding response that will change both history and geography.
“In the 1965 war, the Indian Army had demonstrated the capability to reach Lahore. Today in 2025, Pakistan should remember that one route to Karachi passes through the creek,” he said.
Sir Creek is a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch and Pakistan. It is considered a disputed region due to varying interpretations of maritime boundary lines by the two sides.
“Despite 78 years of independence, the border dispute continues in the Sir Creek area. India has repeatedly attempted to resolve this issue through dialogue, but Pakistan’s intentions are flawed and unclear,” Singh said.
“The recent expansion of its (Pakistan’s) military infrastructure in the areas adjacent to Sir Creek reveals its intentions,” he said.
The defence minister said the Indian Army and the Border Security Force are vigilantly guarding India’s borders.
On Operation Sindoor, Singh said India’s fight against cross-border terrorism will continue.
He said Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate India’s defence system during the operation, but the Indian military “exposed” the Pakistani air defence apparatus and sent a message to the world that it can inflict heavy losses on the adversary.
“During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate India’s defence system from Leh to Sir Creek,” he said.
“However, in retaliatory action, Indian forces completely exposed the Pakistani air defence system and sent a message to the world that Indian forces can inflict heavy losses on Pakistan whenever and wherever they wish,” he said.
Singh said India displayed restraint because its military action was against terrorism.
“Escalating it and starting a war was not the objective of Operation Sindoor. I am happy that Indian forces have successfully achieved all the military objectives of Operation Sindoor. But our fight against terrorism continues,” he said.
In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended on May 10 with an understanding on stopping military actions.
The defence minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring greater jointness among the three services.
“It was the jointness of our armed forces that executed Operation Sindoor in record time. On this occasion today, I also want to extend special congratulations to our brave soldiers and officers for the success of Operation Sindoor,” Singh said.
“Your strategy, your courage and your capability have proven that India is capable of defeating the enemy in every situation. I am fully confident that the courage of all of you, the valour of all of you, will continue to protect India’s sovereignty and integrity,” he added.
The defence minister described the Army, the Air Force and the Navy as “three pillars” of India’s strength.
“When these three services work together, only then can we effectively face every challenge,” he said.
Singh has been performing ‘shastra puja’ on Dussehra for the last several years, including during his tenure as the Union home minister in the previous NDA government.
“For us, weapons are not just tools. Weapons are not merely for displaying power. Rather, we believe that weapons are a means to establish righteousness,” he said.
