New Delhi, May 29: Asserting that the day is not far when Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will rejoin India voluntarily, without any conflict or force, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that terrorism can’t survive for long and India will silence every gun raised against its soil.
Speaking at the Inaugural Plenary of the CII Annual Business Summit-2025, Singh, said, “Most people in PoK feel a strong connection with India and that it is only a matter of time before they rejoin the national mainstream.”
“I am India, I have come back,” he said, describing how PoK will one day reclaim its Indian identity.
Singh said that India’s stance has always been to unite, not divide. “India talks about connecting hearts, not breaking them,” he said.
Referring to historical and cultural ties, he said that PoK people are no different from those in the rest of India and compared their situation to that of Maharana Pratap’s younger brother Shakti Singh, connected by blood, separated by fate.
The Defence Minister added that terrorism has lost its relevance as a geopolitical tool and that countries nurturing it now face international and internal consequences.
“Running the business of terrorism is not cost-effective. Pakistan has realised that it has to pay a heavy price for it,” he said.
Singh also clarified India’s position on future talks with Pakistan, saying, “Now, whenever there will be talks, it will only be on terrorism and PoK.”
He said India remains committed to the vision of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat”, One India, Great India, and that PoK’s eventual return is part of that national aspiration.
According to him, the emotional, cultural, and historical links between the people of PoK and the rest of India cannot be erased by political borders.
Turning to India’s growing capabilities in defence, Singh said the country has transformed significantly over the last decade. India’s defence exports, which were below ₹1,000 crore ten years ago, have now crossed ₹23,500 crore.
He said this development reflects not only growing technological capacity but also a shift in India’s global image.
He said that ‘Operation Sindoor’ demonstrated India’s indigenous defence strength. “During Operation Sindoor, the country saw how our own systems performed on the ground. We destroyed terrorist hideouts, enemy airbases and military positions. We could have done more, but we showed a balance of power and restraint,” he said.
Singh said India is not only manufacturing traditional military equipment like fighter jets and missile systems but is also developing technologies for next-generation warfare. “We are preparing for next-generation warfare,” he added. (KNO)
