Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, marking his first visit to the Valley after Operation Sindoor — a major military strike by India on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The operation was carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, where several Indian soldiers and civilians lost their lives.

During the visit, Rajnath Singh reviewed the overall security situation and the combat readiness of the Indian Armed Forces. He also inspected Pakistani shells that had been dropped in the border areas during the recent conflict. The defence minister visited the 15 Corps Headquarters in Srinagar and interacted with army personnel. He was joined by Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

While speaking to the armed forces, Rajnath Singh said,

“I would like to bow to the supreme sacrifice of the brave jawans while they fought terrorism and terrorists. I pay respect to their memory. I also pay respect to the innocent civilians who were killed in Pahalgam. I also salute the valour of the injured soldiers and pray to God that they may recover at the earliest.”

Rajnath Singh called Operation Sindoor a "big commitment" and praised the army for its efforts.

“This is the biggest operation against terror. We will go to any extent to end terrorism. Pakistan has to stop sheltering terrorists,” he said.

He also raised a serious concern about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, questioning if they were in safe hands.

“The world knows that our army's aim is accurate, and when they hit the target, they leave the counting to the enemies. How strong is India's pledge against terrorism today... it can be known from the fact that we did not even care about their nuclear blackmail. The whole world has seen how irresponsibly Pakistan has threatened India. Today, from the land of Srinagar, I want to raise this question: Are nuclear weapons safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation? I believe that Pakistan's nuclear weapons should be taken under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” he said.

You might also be interested in: Travel, trade, and ties cut: India hits back at Turkey with boycott calls