Aboard the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while addressing naval warriors on Friday, said, “During 1971 war, when Indian Navy came into action, Pakistan was divided into two. If Indian Navy had come into action during Operation Sindoor, I think, Pakistan would have been split into four parts by now.” He was underlining the formidable strength of Indian Navy.
Rajnath Singh said, “During Operation Sindoor, Indian Navy impressed everyone with its silent service..Pakistan did not have to face the firepower of Indian Navy, but now the world knows, if Pakistan commits any fresh heinous act this time, it may be possible that our Navy will do the opening”.
The Defence Minister said, “on one hand, the Indian Navy is always as calm as the ocean, but if any situation arises, it has the capability to bring about a tsunami in the ocean”.
Rajnath Singh said, “if Pakistan sincerely wants to begin talks, it should first hand over terror masterminds like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India, so that justice can be done.”
Let me explain why Rajnath Singh said, Pakistan hurriedly pleaded for ceasefire because it was afraid of our navy.
On May 7, when India launched Operation Sindoor, it was carried out by our army and air force, but few people know that the Indian Navy had a key role in the operation. A formidable naval task force led by INS Vikrant along with destroyers, frigates, submarines and fighter jets were deployed in Arabian Sea close to the Pakistani coast. Seeing the huge flotilla of the Indian Navy, Pakistan’s navy could not summon up the courage to come out of the ports to take up combat position.
The Indian Navy began its drill with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles in Arabian Sea within 96 hours of the Pahalgam attack, in a clear display of its intent to Pakistan.
The Defence Minister chose INS Vikrant to give a powerful message to Pakistan. INS Vikrant is the symbol of India’s naval prowess. It is our first indigenously built aircraft carrier which can carry more than 30 aircraft. The other operational aircraft carrier is INS Vikramaditya. India stands eighth, while Pakistan stands 32nd in the list of 145 countries in Global Fire Power Index-2024.
Rajnath Singh is right when he says that the Indian Navy was ready to strike during Operation Sindoor. Its MiG fighters were ready, but before the action was to commence, Pakistan’s DGMO rang up seeking a ceasefire.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on record of having said that his armed forces had planned to attack India at 4:30 am, but soon after midnight, India launched its BrahMos missiles and damaged Pakistan’s air bases. This forced the Pakistan army to call for cessation of firing and military action.
Pakistan’s nuclear blackmail will not work
The chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza has said, he fears that if India continued to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, it may become an existential threat for Pakistan which can led to nuclear conflict.
In an interview to a news agency, Gen Mirza admitted that Pakistan army was caught unawares when India struck deep into its heartland. He said, “the risk of escalation in future has increased since the fighting this time was not limited to the disputed territory (Kashmir).. In future, it will not be restricted to the disputed territory, it would come down to the whole of India and the whole of Pakistan.”
In Tajikistan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, if India stopped the flow of Indus river, “which is the lifeline of Pakistan, then there will be a real war”.
In Kanpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, India will not be deterred by threats of nuclear war and there will be no talks on Indus Waters Treaty, till Pakistan stops sponsoring terrorism. Modi said, “Pakistan must not remain under any illusion, because Operation Sindoor is not yet over. It will have to pay a heavy price if another attack takes place.”
Modi said, “Operation Sindoor is only one arrow in the quiver and if Pakistan does not stop terrorism, India will take a bigger action to crush the hood of terrorist snake. India has finally resolved not to spare terrorists and their sponsors”.
In Vadodara, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, all terror camps inside Pakistan are now “legitimate targets for India”. He said, “we will never give in to nuclear blackmail and whatever decisions are to be taken in national interest will continue to be taken.”
Listening to the remarks from all sides, some points are clear.
One, Pakistan’s nuclear threat does not carry any weight. Nuclear blackmail will not work. All nuclear installations in Pakistan are within range of Indian missiles.
Two, Pakistan is worried over the suspension of Indus Waters Treaty. It has become a matter of survival for that country, but India’s stand is clear. Unless Pakistan closes down its terror factories, there will be no leniency. Three, Operation Sindoor was a trailer. Picture Abhi Baaki Hai. This time, Pakistan had pleaded for ceasefire, but next time, nobody will listen to its pleas. If Pakistan commits any major act, it will have to face retaliation from India.