Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will say 'main bhi Bharat hoon', no conquest needed: Rajnath Singh exudes confidence
Rajnath Singh’s remarks come after several opposition parties alleged that the Modi government had ‘missed the chance’ to capture PoK during Operation Sindoor in May.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday expressed confidence that India would regain control of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) without resorting to aggressive measures, citing the growing demands for freedom from the current administration by the local people in the region.
"PoK will be ours on its own. Demands have started being made in PoK, you must have heard sloganeering," Rajnath Singh said during his interaction with the Indian community in Morocco.
The defence minister's remarks come after several opposition parties alleged that the Narendra Modi government had "missed the chance" to capture PoK during Operation Sindoor on May 7.
Multiple leaders of various opposition parties criticised the central government for agreeing to a 'ceasefire' despite India having the upper hand after Operation Sindoor downed multiple Pakistani jets, claiming that there was a chance to capture the Pakistan-occupied territory.
The minister also said that he had repeated the same five years ago, while addressing an Indian Army programme in Jammu and Kashmir.
"I was addressing the Indian Army at a programme in the Kashmir Valley five years ago. I had then said that we will not need to attack and capture PoK, it is anyway ours; PoK itself will say, 'Main bhi Bharat Hoon'. That day will come," he said.
Rajnath Singh is on a two-day visit to Morocco, which marks the first-ever trip by an Indian defence minister to the country.
A key part of his visit is the inauguration of a new manufacturing facility for the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8 at Berrechid, set up by Tata Advanced Systems.
This facility is the first Indian defence manufacturing plant in Africa, and the minister hailed it as a significant milestone that highlights the growing international presence of India's defence industry.
During his visit, Defence Minister Singh will hold bilateral discussions with his Moroccan counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi. Both sides are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation. The MoU establishes an institutional framework to expand and deepen bilateral defence engagement, including exchanges, training, and industrial linkages. This agreement is expected to further consolidate existing ties, which have been growing with regular port calls by Indian Navy ships at Casablanca.
In addition to his official meetings, Rajnath Singh also interacted with the Indian diaspora in Rabat, praising their contributions to both Morocco and India. He also commented on India's rising global stature and its progress in various sectors, including the economy.