Rajnath Singh says any talks with Pakistan will only be on POK
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said there are no talks planned with Pakistan and asserted that if discussions were to take place, they would be limited to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Speaking at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Singh said, "Our intention is clear. There will be no talks with Pakistan. If talks happen, they will happen only regarding POK, which is a part of India illegally occupied by Pakistan."
Marking 27 years since the Indian Army recaptured the Kargil peaks occupied by Pakistani forces, Singh warned Pakistan against any "misadventure".
Referring to Operation Sindoor, in which Indian forces struck terrorist targets in Pakistan and POK following the Pahalgam terror attack last year, Singh said India would respond firmly to any future provocation.
"I want to give a clear message. Every nefarious act aimed at undermining India's sovereignty will face the same fate," he said.
Accusing Pakistan of making terrorism part of its state policy, Singh contrasted India's development with Pakistan's approach.
"India is giving software to the world, while Pakistan is giving sleeper cells to the world. India is building data centres and Pakistan is building radical centres. India is connecting the world through UPI, while Pakistan is connecting terrorism through hawala," he said.
He added that India is building a start-up ecosystem and manufacturing semiconductors, while Pakistan is promoting terrorism and proxy activities.
The Defence Minister also said India would no longer distinguish between terrorists and the governments that support them.
"Pakistan has now made terrorism a part of its government policy. The distinction between the military and militants there has been erased. The Army there not only provides protection to terrorist organisations but also works hand in hand with them," he said.
Paying tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War, Singh described the conflict as not only a military victory but also a diplomatic success that reflected the courage, determination and sacrifice of the armed forces.