Indian Navy will lead New Delhi's response to any future Pakistani aggression, minister says
FILE PHOTO: India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shakes hands with Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi as Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh look on before the ceremonial reception of Japan's defence minister in New Delhi, India, May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India will use the firepower of its navy in response to any future aggression by Pakistan, India's defence minister said on Friday, weeks after the fiercest fighting in decades between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Relations between India and Pakistan are tense after four days of fighting this month, which involved fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery before a ceasefire was announced.
"If Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of the western Indian state of Goa.
A spokesperson for Pakistan's military referred Reuters to a May 12 statement, which said there would be a "comprehensive and decisive" response whenever Pakistan's sovereignty was "threatened and territorial integrity violated".
The latest fighting erupted after 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, were killed in an April 22 attack in Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan territory claimed by both nations. New Delhi blamed the attack on "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, which denied the charge.
A ceasefire took effect on May 10 and a top Pakistani military official told Reuters on Friday that both countries were close to reducing their troop build-up along their border to pre-conflict levels.
The Indian Navy has said it deployed its carrier battle group, submarines and other aviation assets in the northern Arabian Sea within 96 hours of the April 22 attack.
Defence Minister Singh said 'Operation Sindoor', under which India launched the strikes on Pakistan, was paused, but not yet over.
"We stopped our military actions on our own terms. Our forces had not even started showing their might," he said.
(Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
13 minutes ago
- The Star
Several Paris Jewish institutions sprayed with green paint
A general view of the Grande Synagogue des Tournelles, after it was covered in green paint, in Paris, France, May 31, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor PARIS (Reuters) -Five Jewish institutions were sprayed with green paint in Paris overnight and an investigation has been opened, a police source said on Saturday. Police found the paint damage early on Saturday on the Shoah Memorial, which is the Holocaust museum in Paris, three synagogues and a restaurant in the historic Jewish neighbourhood of Le Marais, the source said. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on X that he was disgusted by these "despicable acts targetting the Jewish community". It was not yet known who committed the damage, or why. The Interior Ministry did not respond to a request for comment on details of the incidents. France has seen a rise in hate crimes: last year police recorded an 11% rise in racist, xenophobic or antireligious crimes, according to official data published in March. The figures did not break down the attacks on different religions. (Reporting by Juliette JabkhiroEditing by Frances Kerry)
Malaysia Sun
an hour ago
- Malaysia Sun
All-party delegation led by Sanjay Jha leaves for Malaysia from Indonesia
Jakarta [Indonesia], May 31 (ANI): The all-party delegation led by JD (U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha has left for Malaysia after completing the Indonesia leg of their visit. Jha on Friday addressed the Indian diaspora in Jakarta and reiterated India's new approach in dealing with cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. He said if a terror incident happens, 'India ab andar ghus ke marega (India will hit the target by getting in)' . 'PM Modi has said very clearly that this (hitting back) is the new nation is progressing, and there is peace,' said Jha. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Indian armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists. Indian Armed Forces also repelled the subsequent Pakistani aggression and pounded its airbases. India and Pakistan have reached an understanding regarding the cessation of hostilities after Pakistan DGMO called up his Indian counterpart. Jha said people of the country foiled attempt of terrorists to cause communal disharmony. 'The way terrorists targeted a particular community, their purpose was to spread communal disharmony in our country, but we are a mature nation. Even a small incident did not erupt... ,' Jha said addressing the diaspora. The delegation is visiting partner countries to express India's firm resolve against cross-border terrorism and its policy of zero tolerance to terrorism. The delegation, led by Jha, has visited Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. It includes Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi Aparajita Sarangi (all BJP), Abhishek Banerjee (Trinamool Congress), John Brittas (CPI-M), Congress leader and former union minister Salman Khurshid and Mohan Kumar. (ANI)
Malaysia Sun
an hour ago
- Malaysia Sun
All-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha arrives in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], May 31 (ANI): The all-party delegation led by JD (U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, visiting key world capitals as part of the Modi government's big diplomatic outreach after Operation Sindoor, arrived in Malaysia on Saturday. The delegation was welcomed by the Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, BN Reddy. They landed in Malaysia after successfully completing the Indonesia leg of the outreach program under Operation Sindoor. Earlier on Friday, while addressing the Indian diaspora in Jakarta, India reiterated's new approach in combating cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. 'The new India will not just share information and data. If anything happens to the country, 'India ab andar ghus ke marega'...PM Modi said very clearly that this is the new normal. Our nation is progressing, and there is peace,' said Jha. He emphasised that terrorists' attempts to spread communal disharmony have failed, showcasing India's maturity in handling such incidents. 'The way terrorists targeted a particular community, their purpose was to spread communal disharmony in our country, but we are a mature nation. Even a small incident did not erupt...,' Jha said while addressing the diaspora. The delegation's mission is to showcase India's resolve against terrorism and garner international support for a united stand against this global threat. The Indian government's diplomatic outreach efforts aim to strengthen partnerships with countries in East and Southeast Asia, emphasising the need for a collective response to the threat of terrorism. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Indian armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres and airfields across 11 airbases in Pakistan. After this, on May 10, an understanding regarding the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced. The delegation to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Singapore is led by JD-U MP Sanjay Kumar Jha and includes Aparajita Sarangi (BJP), Abhishek Banerjee (Trinamool Congress), Brij Lal (BJP), John Brittas (CPI-M), Pradan Baruah (BJP), Hemang Joshi (BJP), Salman Khurshid and Mohan Kumar. (ANI)
