Pahalgam Terror Attack: India lost many innocent citizens, terrorists to get befitting reply soon, says Rajnath Singh

Expressing deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the previous day’s terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Ministry Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday that the terrorists behind the “cowardly attack” will soon get a befitting reply, assuring all necessary steps by the central government. “Our country has lost many innocent citizens in a cowardly attack by terrorists targeting religion. This extremely inhuman act has left us in deep pain. In this hour of grief, I pray for peace to the departed souls,” said the Union Minister.

His remarks came before a high-level emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that started around 6 pm on Wednesday. Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar were present at the meeting.

Every Indian is united, we can never be intimidated by such terror activities: Rajnath Singh

Stating that the central government is equipping the country’s Armed Forces to tackle challenges emanating from a fluid international order, Singh said that “every Indian is united against this cowardly act”. 

“India is an old civilisation and such a big country can never be intimidated by any such terror activities,” he said.

‘Not just those who perpetrated the attack, but even those who conspired…’

The Union Minister said that the central government will soon give an “appropriate response” to not just the terrorists who perpetrated the attack but also those “who conspired from behind the scenes to commit such nefarious acts on the Indian soil”. 

Singh was delivering a memorial lecture on the Marshal of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Arjan Singh in the national capital.

Speaking at the ‘Arjan Singh Memorial Lecture’ in New Delhi https://t.co/MyxiKpKGRz

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 23, 2025

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Aim to establish Indian Air Force (IAF) as a dominant power & achieve defence sovereignty: Rajnath Singh

Reiterated the nation’s firm resolve of zero tolerance against terrorism, the Defence Minister said that the under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Centre will take every necessary and appropriate step in response to the attack. 

“History is witness to the withering away of nations not due to the action of the adversary, but due to the result of their own misdeeds. I hope people across the border look at lessons of history more closely,” he said. 

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Modi government’s focus is on transforming the Armed Forces: Defence Minister

Reiterating the Modi government’s focus on transforming the Armed Forces on the back of a self-reliant defence ecosystem, he said that the “journey towards Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) is a shared responsibility”, with “commitment, collaboration and unified vision” being the need of the hour.

Today, not only has there been unparalleled growth in defence manufacturing in the public sector, the private sector is also participating with great enthusiasm, he said.

“As the field of defence production is becoming technology-oriented, the role of start-ups and MSMEs is also increasing rapidly. These are proving to be the backbone of defence innovation. In the times to come, the role of the private sector, start-ups and MSMEs in high-tech warfare is going to increase even more,” said the Union Minister.