Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said Pakistan should not harbour any delusions about India’s strength after Operation Sindoor, stressing that the cross-border strikes had demonstrated New Delhi’s firm approach in tackling security threats.
Without naming Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, Rajnath Singh said the general’s recent remarks about nuclear weapons and his comparison of Pakistan to a “dumper truck” reflected a “predatory mentality” and were a “confession” of Islamabad’s failures.
“The Pakistan Army chief, knowingly or unknowingly, has pointed towards a predatory mentality (kabilai aur looteri mansikta) that Pakistan has been a victim of since its inception,” Singh said at the Economic Times World Leaders’ Forum.
“We must ensure that along with India’s prosperity, our fighting spirit for our defence capability and national honour remains equally strong. Operation Sindoor has already shown our resolve. We will not allow any illusion about India’s strength to take root in Pakistan’s mind,” he said.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territories in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people. The strikes led to four days of clashes before both sides agreed to stop military action on May 10.
Referring to Asim Munir’s description of India as a “Mercedes” and Pakistan as a “dumper truck full of gravel”, Singh said it was an admission of failure.
“If two countries got independence together and one built an economy like a sports car with hard work, right policies and vision, while the other remained stuck in failure, it is their own doing. This is not a joke, it is a confession,” he said.
Singh also underlined that India’s ethos does not view the world as a race for dominance but as a path towards harmony and mutual respect.
“In our tradition, the measure of strength is not in the ability to command, but in the capacity to care, not in the pursuit of narrow interests, but in the commitment to the global good,” he said.
The defence minister also used the platform to urge foreign companies to invest in India’s defence sector.