Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (May 18) revealed that India’s indigenously developed BrahMos missiles destroyed key Pakistani air bases during Operation Sindoor, while Pakistan’s Chinese-made air defence systems remained “unused.”
Speaking at an event in Ahmedabad, Amit Shah said the operation marked a historic shift from previous military actions by striking deep inside Pakistan’s territory. He said while surgical strikes and airstrikes earlier targeted PoK, Operation Sindoor went 100 km inside Pakistan’s border and eliminated terrorists and their hubs.
BrahMos supremacy
Praising India’s military capabilities, Shah highlighted how the BrahMos system performed with precision, neutralising key targets.
“As our indigenously developed BrahMos worked to destroy Pakistan’s air bases, its own air defence system, borrowed from China, remained unused,” he said.
“Our Air Force carried out precise attacks and inflicted heavy damage on many places in Pakistan which were considered impregnable.”
Pakistan’s terror narrative ‘exposed’
According to Shah, Operation Sindoor didn’t just dismantle terrorist infrastructure but also debunked Pakistan’s long-standing global narrative.
“Pakistan used to tell the whole world that no terrorist activity happens there and accuse India of making false complaints,” he said. “But terrorists were finished with missiles, and Pakistan was exposed to the world.”
He claimed that Pakistani army officers attending the funerals of slain terrorists the next day demonstrated “the nexus between the Pakistani Army, Pakistan, and terrorism.”
PM Modi’s political will, Army’s valour behind the strikes
Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the bold response following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.
“Narendrabhai’s strong political will, the valour of the army, the accurate information of the intelligence agencies and the firepower of the Army destroyed the terrorist camps in nine places in Pakistan and razed them to the ground,” Shah noted.
No trade, no talks without action on terror
The Home Minister reiterated PM Modi’s stance that India will not resume trade or talks with Pakistan until terrorism is eradicated.
“PM Modi made it clear after Operation Sindoor that the Indus River and blood will not flow together,” Shah said. “If terrorism is not eradicated, then not even a drop of water from the Indus River will be available.”
“Modi is ready to hold talks with Pakistan, but they will be centred on taking back PoK and eliminating terrorism,” he added.
Vision for 2047: India as a global power
Concluding his address, Shah said the Modi government is working with the aim of making India a global leader by the country’s centenary year of independence.
PM Modi has undertaken the task to place India at the forefront by 2047 and has laid a strong foundation for the country’s development over the last 11 years, he said.
“Today, 140 crore Indians salute the valour of our armed forces, the accuracy of the intelligence agencies, and the strong political will of Narendra Modi.”