The Rajya Sabha is set to begin a special discussion on Operation Sindoor on Tuesday. The operation was launched by the Indian Armed Forces in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people.
Operation Sindoor targeted terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with the objective of dismantling cross-border networks used to facilitate and execute terror attacks on Indian soil.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha will continue the debate on Operation Sindoor for the second consecutive day. On Monday, the House opened the discussion with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh initiating the debate. He described India’s cross-border strikes as accurate, precise, and non-escalatory, and said that the operation served a specific objective.
“Operation Sindoor’s main purpose was to destroy and decimate terror factories operating from Pakistani soil. It was stopped because the goal of dismantling terror bases and nurseries was achieved,” the Defence Minister told the House.
He also said that it was the Indian government which decided to call off Operation Sindoor and there was no pressure from any entity or nation, as claimed by the Opposition and their claims are “blatantly false” and “misleading”.
Singh further criticised the Opposition for focusing on issues that he termed as relatively minor, stating that such distractions could compromise national security. “When the aim is to go higher, we should not pay attention to small issues because focusing on issues that remain comparatively small can divert attention from national security,” he said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who also addressed the House during the debate, said India’s response to cross-border terrorism has undergone a strategic shift, which he described as the “new normal.” He said the country had moved past an era of strategic restraint and was now defining its own terms.
He elaborated on this evolving doctrine: Terrorists will not be treated as proxies, cross-border attacks will be met with direct and appropriate response, there will be no dialogue except on terrorism – talks and terror cannot go hand-in-hand, India will not bow to nuclear intimidation, and good neighbourly ties are incompatible with terrorism – blood and water cannot flow together.
Participating in the debate, Deputy Leader of the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi criticised the government for its handling of the April 22 attack. He said that more than 100 days had passed since the incident, but the five perpetrators had not been apprehended. Gogoi also questioned the rationale behind stopping Operation Sindoor after Pakistan capitulated, asking why the government did not proceed to reclaim areas under illegal occupation by the neighbouring country.
Congress, the principal opposition party, has been allotted around two hours to present its views in the Upper House, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge expected to lead the debate.