Rajnath Singh Warns Pakistan of Navy’s Firepower During Visit to INS Vikrant
Asks Pakistan to Hand Over Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar Before Talks
Goa, May 30: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, stating that any future provocation would be met with the full might of the Indian Navy.
Speaking onboard the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the Goa coast, Singh described Operation Sindoor as India’s “frontal assault against terrorism” and declared that the operation is “not yet over; it’s just a pause.”
“If Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy,” Singh said, addressing officers and sailors. He credited the Navy’s Carrier Battle Group for effectively confining the Pakistani Navy to its shores during the joint tri-services action.
The Minister also called on Pakistan to hand over wanted terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, both of whom are UN-designated and accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. “If Pakistan is serious about talks, it should first hand over these terrorists to India,” Singh said.
The Defence Minister asserted that the Navy’s strategic deployment and missile drills post the Pahalgam attack demonstrated India’s combat readiness. “Within 96 hours of the attack, successful firings of missiles and torpedoes from both coasts showcased our intent and capability,” he added.
He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stance that any terrorist attack on Indian soil would be treated as an “act of war.” “India will not hesitate to use every method to root out terrorism,” Singh warned, emphasizing that the Armed Forces are prepared across land, air, and sea.
Singh lauded the seamless coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force during Operation Sindoor, stating that the response forced Pakistan to plead for a ceasefire. “We halted on our own terms. Our forces hadn’t even begun to show their full strength,” he said.
Accompanied by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and other senior Navy officials, Singh toured frontline warships that formed the Carrier Battle Group. He also reviewed operational preparedness at sea and praised the Navy’s growing role in cyber, space, and data-dominant warfare.
“The Indian Navy is no longer just a sentinel of the Indian Ocean—it is becoming a strategic force of a global India,” he concluded.