Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday firmly rejected any possibility of dialogue between India and Pakistan, stating that talks cannot be held with a nation that lacks democracy and thrives on religious fanaticism and hatred against India. Addressing the Lok Sabha during the debate on Operation Sindoor, Singh said that meaningful dialogue is only possible with democratic and civilised nations.
He asserted that a country without even an iota of democracy, where the environment is fuelled by religious extremism and anti-India sentiments, is not suitable for dialogue. According to Singh, the language of terrorism is built on fear, blood, and hatred, not on conversation or reconciliation. He said that the voice of dialogue is always silenced amid the sound of bullets and violence, and that there can be no talks where blood is being shed. He added that Pakistan is caught in its own trap.
Singh criticised Pakistan for glorifying terrorists, highlighting how the Pakistani government organises state funerals for them and how army officers are seen participating in such ceremonies. He said this practice leaves no doubt about Pakistan’s true intentions and policy.
Reinforcing the government’s firm stance on terrorism, the Defence Minister said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the new India is prepared to go to any extent to combat terrorism. He warned those who speak of inflicting a thousand cuts on India to awaken to the reality that India is no longer passive in the face of such threats.
Singh stated that the Indian government had made sincere efforts to foster peace between the two countries, but those efforts failed, forcing India to adopt a different approach. He recalled Prime Minister Modi’s 2015 visit to then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a significant gesture of goodwill. He emphasised that India has always desired peace, rooted in the spirit of Buddha and not in war.
However, following repeated provocations and terror attacks, Singh said that India adopted a new strategy through the 2016 surgical strike, the 2019 Balakot air strike, and most recently, the 2025 Operation Sindoor. These operations, he said, represent India’s new path to peace through decisive and punitive action against terrorism.
He concluded by reiterating the Modi government’s unambiguous policy that peace talks and terrorism cannot go hand in hand.
The 16-hour discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha was scheduled to begin earlier in the day but faced delays due to repeated disruption by the opposition parties. The House was adjourned thrice till 2 PM, as Opposition MPs entered the Well and created a ruckus.
