Armed forces were given complete freedom: Rajnath on Operation Sindoor

New Delhi, Sep 22 (PTI) Indian armed forces were given complete freedom to appropriately respond to the cowardly terror attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.

Singh also said that India's actions in response to the attack were "measured and non-escalatory." The defence minister made the remarks in an address to the Indian community at Rabat in Morocco on Sunday.

Singh is on a two-day visit to the North African country.

The defence minister reaffirmed that the armed forces were fully prepared and had been given complete freedom to respond after the cowardly attack on innocent Indians in Pahalgam, according to an official readout.

"We took action not based on religion but on deeds (Humne dharm dekh kar nahi, karm dekh kar maara hai)," Singh said, quoting the Ramcharitmanas to describe the nation's firm yet restrained approach, it noted.

In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan.

The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.

The defence minister also highlighted the progress achieved by India in the last decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite geopolitical challenges, India has emerged as the fastest-growing major economy, and is poised to enter the top three soon, he said.

Singh highlighted India's digital transformation, rapid strides in the knowledge economy, and the surge in startups from 18 unicorns a decade ago to 118 today.

Singh underlined the "remarkable growth" of India's defence industry, which has achieved production worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore and defence exports exceeding Rs 23,000 crore to more than 100 countries.

The defence minister lauded the hard work, dedication, and honesty of the Indian community.

Singh's visit to Morocco will also be the first-ever trip to that country by an Indian defence minister.

During the visit, he will hold a bilateral meeting with his Moroccan counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi.

Following the talks, both sides are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of defence.

The MoU will provide for an institutional framework to expand and deepen bilateral defence engagement, including exchanges, training, and industrial linkages, officials said.

Ties between India and Morocco have gained momentum since King Mohammed VI met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 in India. PTI MPB VN VN