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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh celebrated Vijayadashmi by performing Shastra Puja at the Bhuj Military Station on Wednesday, using the occasion to laud the Armed Forces for their success in Operation Sindoor and to send a sharp warning to Pakistan over its activities in the Sir Creek sector.
Singh credited the joint operations of the Army, Navy and Air Force for тАЬswiftly and effectively counteringтАЭ PakistanтАЩs recent attempts to breach Indian defences. тАЬFrom Leh to Sir Creek, Pakistan tried to penetrate our defences, but our forces exposed their weaknesses and proved India can inflict heavy damage at a time, place and manner of its choosing,тАЭ he said.
Turning to the long-running Sir Creek dispute, the Defence Minister accused Pakistan of тАЬill intentтАЭ by expanding military infrastructure in the region. тАЬIf Pakistan dares to act in Sir Creek, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography. In 1965, the Indian Army reached Lahore, and in 2025, Pakistan must remember that the road to Karachi also passes through the Creek,тАЭ he warned.
Singh emphasised that Operation Sindoor was designed to counter terrorism rather than provoke escalation, noting that all military objectives had been successfully achieved. He also praised the jointness of the services, citing recent tri-service Exercise Varunastra as evidence of IndiaтАЩs operational readiness.
On the symbolic significance of Shastra Puja, Singh stated that in Indian tradition, weapons are not tools of aggression but instruments of justice and righteousness. тАЬKnowledge without power is vulnerable, and power without knowledge leads to chaos. The balance of Shaastra (knowledge) and Shastra (weapons) keeps our civilisation vibrant and invincible,тАЭ he said.
Reiterating the governmentтАЩs emphasis on self-reliance in defence, Singh highlighted the progress made under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, with India emerging as a leading defence manufacturer and exporter. He also cautioned that challenges to national security now extend beyond external aggression and terrorism to include cyber and information warfare.
Marking the occasion, Singh virtually inaugurated the Tidal Independent Berthing Facility and a Joint Control Centre (JCC) in the Creek sector, designed to boost integrated coastal operations and rapid-response capability.
The event was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Southern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Dhiraj Seth, Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Aditya Vikram Singh Rathee, and Air Commodore KPS Dham, among other senior officers.
Team BharatShakti
