Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed Parliament on Monday that India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) directly contacted his Pakistani counterpart shortly after the execution of Operation Sindoor, a targeted counter-terror strike conducted in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Speaking during a special debate in the Lok Sabha, Singh revealed that the Indian DGMO called Pakistan’s DGMO via a hotline at around 1:35 am on May 7, just minutes after India launched precision missile strikes on nine terror hubs located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Punjab province.
“Through the hotline, he explained the rationale and methodology behind the operation. He also made it clear that the strikes were not meant to escalate tensions further and that we had no intention of prolonging the conflict,” Singh said.
However, the Defence Minister said that Pakistan failed to comprehend India’s limited intent and responded with ceasefire violations in the following days, targeting both civilian and military areas along the Line of Control. Despite provocations, Singh said, India exercised restraint and focused solely on eliminating terror infrastructure.
“Our armed forces were instructed to avoid any damage to civilian areas. This was an act of self-defence. We struck only at the sources of terror. I am proud to say that the armed forces carried out the mission successfully and with precision,” he added.
Rajnath Singh likened the operation to Lord Hanuman’s symbolic act of burning down Lanka in the Ramayana, highlighting its moral and strategic justification. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had similarly invoked the epic in a social media post ahead of the debate.
Operation Sindoor was launched in the early hours of May 7, between 1:05 and 1:30 am, and resulted in missile hits on nine identified terror targets. The Press Information Bureau had issued a statement at 1:44 am confirming the operation and clarifying that no Pakistani military installations were targeted.
Singh also reassured the House that no major Indian military assets were lost during the subsequent retaliatory firing and drone strikes from Pakistan.
“This operation was our response to the barbaric killing of 26 civilians by three terrorists in Pahalgam. We acted in self-defence, with precision, and with humanity,” Singh concluded.
