Talks with Pakistan Will Only Be on PoK: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Kargil War Memorial

On the 27th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to fallen soldiers and delivered a stern message to Pakistan.

Key Highlights:
- Stand on PoK & Terrorism: Rajnath Singh reiterated that any bilateral talks with Pakistan will only center around Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as it is an integral part of India. He emphasized that 'Operation Sindoor' proved India's capability to give a decisive response to cross-border provocations and state-sponsored terrorism.
- Contrasting Paths: Highlighting 27 years since the Kargil conflict, he contrasted India's rapid strides in technology, startups, and semiconductors with Pakistan's continued reliance on terrorism and proxy wars.
- Defence Self-Reliance: The Minister noted a major paradigm shift in India's defence sector, stating that while the country previously imported 65-70% of its military needs, about 65% of defence equipment is now manufactured domestically, powered by indigenous platforms like Tejas, Prachand, INS Vikrant, and Akash-Teer.