The Indian government on Thursday briefed leaders from across the political spectrum on the success of ‘Operation Sindoor’, stating that “over 100 terrorists were killed in the strikes carried out by Indian armed forces across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”
Chairing the all-party meeting, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh provided a detailed account of the precision strikes. He said that Operation Sindoor is “still ongoing” and reaffirmed India’s “right to defend itself and neutralize terrorist threats”. Singh said the operation was aimed “specifically at terrorist infrastructure, avoiding Pakistani military installations in order to maintain a non-escalatory stance.”
Senior leaders from various parties, including opposition leaders from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, attended the meeting. Also present were Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, BJP President and Health Minister J.P. Nadda, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Following the meeting, Rijiju told reporters that the gathering was convened to foster a broad political consensus. “Leaders showed maturity and did not indulge in bickering,” he said. “The entire nation is united with the government and the armed forces.”
Rajnath Singh underscored the scale and success of the mission, stating, “Operation Sindoor’s precision and execution were unimaginable.” Political leaders, including those from the opposition, congratulated the armed forces for their bravery and effectiveness.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge expressed support for the government’s actions in this time of crisis, though he noted the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We salute the jawans for their bravery,” Kharge said. “We wanted the PM to come and brief us. He did not attend this meeting, nor the last one.”
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the government to intensify its diplomatic efforts by pushing for the global designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organization. “We should run an international campaign against TRF. The UN Security Council must designate it as a terror group, and we must also ask the United States to declare TRF a foreign terrorist organization,” he said.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians, including 25 Indians and one Nepali tourist, were killed. The attack was described by officials as the worst since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that the Pahalgam attack exposed Pakistan’s direct links to terrorism. “This was not just another terror incident,” he said. “It was a barbaric attack on tourists by Pakistani and Pakistan-trained terrorists, and it demands a strong response.”
