PEOPLE of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir(PoK)arepartofIndia’s “own family” and the day is not far when they will return to the Indianmainstreambylistening to their inner voice, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. Laying out India’s policy approach towards Pakistan, SinghsaidNewDelhihas “redesigned and redefined” its strategy and responsetoterrorismand that possible dialogue with Islamabad will be only on terrorism and PoK. In an address at the CII Business Summit, he said ‘Make-in-India’ in the defence sector has been an essential component in the country’s national security and it played a key role in India’s effective actionagainstterrorismduring Operation Sindoor. In the remarks, Singh appearedtobelargelyattemptingtoreachouttopeopleofPoK saying India considers them to be part of its “own” family and exudedconfidencethattheywill return voluntarily. “I believe that the people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are our own, part of our family,” he said.

 

“Wearecommittedtotheresolution of‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ (One India, Best India) and we have full faith that those of our brothers who are geographically and politically separated from us today, will also return to the mainstream of India someday or the other with self-respect, listening to their voice of soul,” he said. Most of the people there feel a deep connection with India, there are only a few who have been misled, he said. The Defence Minister said the unification of the PoK with India depends on “the cultural, social and economic prosperity of this country”. He said most of the people in PoK feel a “deep connection” with India and only a few of them have been “misled”. “The situation of our brothers and sisters living in PoK is similar to that of Shakti Singh, the younger brother of brave warrior Maharana Pratap.” “Even after separation, the confidence and faith of the elder brother towards his younger brother remains intact,” Singh said.

 

“India always talks about connecting hearts, and we believe that by walking on the path of love, unity and truth, the day is not far when our own part, PoK, will return and say, I am India, I have returned,” he said. His comments came three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is for the youth of Pakistan to step forward and “free Pakistan from the disease of terrorism”. The Defence Minister described ‘Make-in-India’ as crucial for national security and prosperity, stating that the use of indigenous systems during Operation Sindoor has proved that India has the power to penetrate any armour of the enemy 

 

 

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh onThursday hailedOperation Sindoor as a “national victory”, and said all theIndian forcescame togetherto executeitin a very professional manner. In his address attheCIIBusiness Summithere,healsosaid,“Wewere taking the path of truth, I think, God was with us also in this.” “This Operation Sindoor that we’ve been talking about, it’s a national victory. I thank each and every Indian. I am sure, every Indian wanted....Was looking towards this victory,” the IAF chief said. “Like it has been said again and again that this was an operation that was executed in a very professional manner by everybody, all the agencies, all the forces, we all came together...And when truth is with you, then everything happens on its own,” he said. Operation Sindoor was launched early May 7 in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. All subsequent retaliations to Pakistani offensives were carried out under this operation.