India-Pakistan ceasefire successful because of our strength: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "After losing two wars, one of our neighbouring countries (Pakistan) has started resorting to proxy war, and terrorism has become an integral part of its state policy."

File Photo (IANS)

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday (August 29) laid an unveiled attack on Pakistan and accused the country of resorting to proxy war, after losing two wars to India. He also said that a ceasefire between the two countries is successful today because of India’s strength. 

In his address to the faculty and students of Defence Service Staff College Wellington, the Defence Minister, as quoted by ANI, said, "After losing two wars, one of our neighbouring countries (Pakistan) has started resorting to proxy war, and terrorism has become an integral part of its state policy. It has started targeting India by providing arms, funds, and training to terrorists."

Singh alleged that Pakistan has started targeting India by ‘providing arms, funds and training to terrorists’. 

Speaking on ‘Defence reforms in shifting National Security paradigm’ at DSSC, Wellington. Watch https://t.co/D3xLKGemua — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 29, 2021

Speaking on ‘Defence reforms in shifting National Security paradigm’, Singh said, “If a ceasefire (between India and Pakistan) is successful today, it is because of our strength. In 2016, cross-border strikes changed our reactionary mindset into a proactive mindset, which was further strengthened by the Balakot airstrike in 2019.” 

"I want to salute the armed forces who defeated the neighbour (Pakistan) which has been targeting our nation," he added. 

Singh said that “despite challenges at our borders”, citizens are confident there will be “no compromise" with India's national security. The Defence Minister stated, "The belief that India would not only end terrorism on its own land but also not hesitate to conduct counter-terrorism operations on their land if needed is gradually becoming stronger.”

Commenting on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Singh said the changing equation in the Afghan nation has emerged as a challenge for India. “The changing equation in Afghanistan is a challenge for us. These situations have forced our country to rethink its strategy. We are changing our strategy and the formation of QUAD underlines this strategy," the Defence Minister said. 

He added that the Defence Ministry is “seriously considering the formation of Integrated Battle Groups” amid these developments. 

(With ANI inputs)