In a rare display of national unity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday briefed leaders across the political spectrum on Operation Sindoor, a major military response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The operation, which involved targeted strikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), is believed to have neutralised at least 100 terrorists.
During the high-level meeting at the Parliament House complex, Singh provided an overview of the mission’s objectives, strategic execution, and outcomes. He emphasized that the operation was “non-escalatory in nature” and focused solely on eliminating terror infrastructure. Precision targeting ensured minimal risk to civilians, with Indian Armed Forces exercising “extreme caution and sensitivity.”
“Operation Sindoor is not yet over,” Singh added, underlining that the campaign against cross-border terrorism will continue.
This is the first time that casualty data from the operation has been formally shared with the opposition. While initial reports on Wednesday placed the number of terrorists killed between 70 and 100, Thursday’s briefing confirmed that the toll had reached at least 100.
In a notable show of bipartisan solidarity, opposition parties, led by the Congress, expressed unanimous support for the government’s actions.
“In this moment of crisis, we stand with the government,” said Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. “Matters of national security are confidential, and we respect that. Whatever work is being done to protect the country—we are with it.”
Echoing the sentiment, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said, “We gave our full support. Everyone agreed that certain things cannot be made public. We stand united.”
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also lauded the military effort and urged the government to expand the scope of the operation diplomatically. “We should run a global campaign against the Resistance Front (TRF) and ask the U.S. to designate it as a terrorist organisation. Efforts must also be made to get Pakistan grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF),” he said.
The briefing was chaired by Defence Minister Singh, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi continuing to monitor developments closely. However, the Prime Minister’s absence from the all-party meeting drew some criticism from opposition leaders.
“The PM is not here—he feels he is above Parliament. We will ask questions when the time comes. But in this hour, we do not wish to politicise or criticise,” Kharge remarked, even as Congress maintained that the Prime Minister should have led the session.
Despite political differences, the day’s events marked a strong reaffirmation of collective resolve against terrorism. Operation Sindoor, now underway, is shaping up to be a defining moment in India’s counterterrorism strategy—militarily precise, politically unified, and diplomatically assertive.
