National: In a high-level all-party meeting held on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed that close to 100 terrorists were neutralised during India’s precision strikes on terror camps situated in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The operation, codenamed “Operation Sindoor”, was launched in direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 25 Indian civilian lives earlier this week.
According to sources present at the meeting, Singh described the military action as “ongoing” and highly focused, targeting nine specific terrorist hideouts with strategic precision. Stressing that India had no intention of escalating the situation, the Defence Minister made it clear that any provocation from Pakistan would be met with a firm response. “About 100 terrorists were killed. There is no concrete information yet. The counting is still on. We do not want to escalate the matter. If Pakistan does so, we will not back down either,” Singh reportedly told the assembled leaders.
Following the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju briefed the media, noting that Operation Sindoor was still in progress and that a comprehensive technical report could not be shared at this stage. “The Defence Minister informed leaders that this was an ongoing operation, hence can’t give a technical briefing,” Rijiju said, while underscoring the sensitive nature of current developments along the border.
This statement marks the first formal confirmation of casualties linked to the cross-border strikes. In a parallel development, news agencies such as Reuters, along with several Pakistani outlets, reported multiple loud explosions in Lahore and other cities on Thursday, although the Pakistani government has yet to issue an official comment.
The meeting also served as a platform for a rare display of bipartisan solidarity, with leaders across political lines voicing their support for the armed forces and the government’s strategic response. “Each leader expressed their views with responsibility and maturity, recognising the major challenge the country is currently facing,” Rijiju noted, adding that the Defence Minister reminded all present, “We don’t form the government just to rule.”
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