LUCKNOW: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today described Operation Sindoor as more than just a military response, calling it a manifestation of India’s political, social and strategic will. Speaking virtually at the inauguration of the BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre in Lucknow, he said the operation was a powerful reply to terrorism and a clear message that India would pursue justice even beyond its borders, according to a PIB press release.
Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre, was aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. According to the Defence Minister, Indian forces deliberately avoided civilian areas, in contrast to Pakistan’s retaliatory shelling that targeted temples, gurudwaras and churches. He said the Indian military not only struck across the border but also took its operations to Rawalpindi, the location of Pakistan’s military headquarters.
Citing earlier operations such as the surgical strikes after the Uri attack and airstrikes following Pulwama, Singh said India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, follows a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. “This New India will take effective action against terrorism on both sides of the border,” he said.
Turning to domestic defence capabilities, the Defence Minister called the new BrahMos facility in Lucknow a milestone in India’s pursuit of self-reliance and defence innovation. Inaugurated on National Technology Day, the Rs 300 crore complex is expected to catalyse industrial growth in the region, generating 500 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs, and training a fresh generation of engineers and technicians.
Singh said BrahMos, one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, was more than just a weapon — it was a symbol of India’s military strength and deterrence. The new centre will integrate critical components such as boosters, avionics, propellants and ramjet engines, and is expected to serve as a design and administrative hub as well.
Quoting the late former President APJ Abdul Kalam, Singh said, “In this world, fear has no place, only strength respects strength.” He asserted that India is among the most powerful nations today, and the new facility would reinforce that standing.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who addressed the gathering in person, said the project marks Lucknow’s growing role as a defence manufacturing hub. He credited the Centre for transforming Uttar Pradesh into a key player in the defence sector and highlighted ongoing development across the six nodes of UPDIC. “There can be no solution to terrorism other than crushing it absolutely,” he said, endorsing Operation Sindoor as a bold message to the world.
The Chief Minister felicitated five of the 36 newly selected trainees for the BrahMos facility, which aims to create a robust ancillary ecosystem around it.
