New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that Operation Sindoor was the most precise and successful operation in the history of responses to terrorist attacks on Indian soil, exemplifying Prime Minister Modi’s firm political will, precise intelligence inputs from agencies and lethal capabilities of armed forces.



“For decades, our country has faced Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, and over the years, Pakistan carried out multiple terrorist attacks, but they were never adequately responded to,” Shah said while speaking at the BSF Investiture Ceremony and Rustamji Memorial Lecture here, a Home Ministry statement said.



He said, "After Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, the first major terrorist attack on our soldiers took place in Uri. In response, we carried out a surgical strike for the first time, targeting terrorist hideouts and delivering a strong message. We hoped this would put an end to such acts, but terrorism persisted, leading to another attack on our soldiers in Pulwama. This time, the Indian forces launched a decisive airstrike, once again eliminating terrorist camps."



He said that the situation deteriorated further in Pahalgam, where Pakistan-sponsored terrorists brutally killed innocent tourists in front of their wives and families after questioning their religion.



He said that at that time, Prime Minister Modi had declared that this terrorist attack would receive a fitting response, and Operation Sindoor was that appropriate response.



“Today, the entire world is praising the bravery and lethal capabilities of our armed forces,” he added.



The Home Minister said that while responses to terrorist attacks have been given in many parts of the world, the response India has given is unique.



“After the attack in Pahalgam, we launched Operation Sindoor and, within minutes, destroyed nine terrorist bases, two of which were headquarters of terrorist organizations”.



He emphasised that the Indian forces initially neither attacked Pakistan’s military establishments nor their airbases, but only demolished the terrorist hideouts responsible for heinous crimes on India’s soil.



“We believed this would suffice, as our attack was solely against the terrorists. Pakistan proved that it sponsors terrorism by considering the attack on the terrorists as an attack on itself and dared to target our country’s civilians and military institutions. India’s air defence system is remarkable, and Pakistan’s attacks could not harm us,” he said.



He said, through Operation Sindoor, bonding between Pakistan and terrorism has been exposed to the entire world. He mentioned that when terrorist bases in Pakistan were attacked, the Pakistani army responded, and the world witnessed senior Pakistani army officers attending the funerals of the killed terrorists.



“What Pakistan had always denied has now been fully exposed to the world after Operation Sindoor, confirming that terrorism in India is Pakistan-sponsored,” he said.



Shah hailed the dedication of the army and the BSF border guards and said, “The BSF has demonstrated, by responding to bullets with bullets at the border, that as long as the BSF is present, the Pakistani army cannot advance even an inch”.



He said that Operation Sindoor has also effectively showcased the success of self-reliant India in defence production. In the coming days, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, this campaign will gain further momentum, and we will move toward greater self-reliance”.



Shah said that the journey of the BSF from 1965 to 2025 demonstrates how an organisation that began with limited resources in challenging circumstances has emerged as the world’s largest and most prestigious border security force.



He said that BSF is the finest example of how patriotism can overcome all difficulties to achieve global excellence. He highlighted that the patriotism and dedication shown by BSF personnel in adverse conditions — be it temperatures above 45 degrees or extremely low, dense jungles, rugged mountains, or coastal areas—have earned the BSF the honour of being the first line of defence.



Shah added that a decision was made in the country to assign one force to secure each border, and based on the BSF's capability, it was entrusted with the responsibility of securing two of the most challenging borders -- Bangladesh and Pakistan.



Remembering the contributions of KF Rustamji, who played a pivotal role in raising the BSF, Shah said that after the 1965 war, a need was felt for a force that could secure the borders even during peacetime, leading to the inception of the BSF, with Rustamji becoming its first Director General.



He stated that the bravery and contributions of BSF personnel in the 1971 war, which was imposed on India, will never be forgotten by the nation, nor should Bangladesh ever forget it. He emphasized that the BSF played a significant role in the creation of Bangladesh and set an exemplary standard of bravery by standing shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in fighting against injustice.



The Union Home Minister said the BSF secures India’s over 15,000-km-long and most challenging border. Over the past five years, the BSF has made efforts to find numerous technological solutions. In areas where fencing is not possible, the BSF has experimentally implemented global technological solutions for border security.



He added that BSF personnel have also developed several in-house solutions, and these technological advancements for securing geographically challenging borders will help keep the country safe in the coming days. He said, in Operation Sindoor, BSF and Army set an unparalleled example of bravery before the world.

UNI RBE PRS