'Will Erase From Map, Won't Exercise Restraint': Army Chief Warns Pakistan

JAIPUR, Oct 3: India has issued a fierce warning to Pakistan: stop supporting terrorism or lose your geographical presence. If Pakistan wants to retain its place on the map, it must stop state-sponsored terrorism, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi has said, warning the western neighbour known for its deep-state backing of terror masters.

Speaking at an Army post in Rajasthan's Anupgarh, General Dwivedi said the Indian forces won't show any restraint this time, hinting that a second version of 'Operation Sindoor' wouldn't be far away if Islamabad refuses to stop exporting terror.

"This time we will not maintain the restraint that we had in Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time we will do something that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to retain its place in geography or not. If Pakistan wants to retain its place in geography, then it must stop state-sponsored terrorism," he said at an army post in Rajasthan.

He also asked the soldiers to stay prepared. "If God wills, you'll get an opportunity soon. All the best," the Chief of Army Staff said.

Gen Dwivedi's warning follows Air Chief Marshal AP Singh's remark earlier in the day that the Indian forces had downed four to five Pakistani fighter jets, including US-made F-16s and Chinese JF-17s, during Operation Sindoor in May.

The mega military operation was undertaken by India to give a fitting reply in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Nine terror camps were hit in Pakistan and PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) by Indian forces using long-range precision weapons on May 7.

The attack on terror camps had brought the two countries to a near-war situation, during which the Indian air chief had claimed that Pakistan lost five of its fighter jets and a 'big bird', likely an airborne early warning and control aircraft.

A ceasefire followed on May 10 after the Pakistani commanders pleaded with their Indian counterparts to stop the offensive.

During Operation Sindoor, India resolved that no innocent lives would be harmed and no military targets would be destroyed, said the Army chief, adding that the focus was on eliminating terrorist hideouts, training centres and their masterminds.

He further said that India presented evidence to the world about the terrorist hideouts destroyed during Operation Sindoor. Had India not done so, Pakistan would have hidden the truth, he said.

The Army chief also honoured three officers for their exceptional work during Operation Sindoor. At the event, BSF 140th Battalion Commandant Prabhakar Singh, Rajputana Rifles Major Ritesh Kumar, and Havildar Mohit Gaira received special recognition.

India's Big Warning To Pakistan Against Aggressive Approach Towards Sir Creek

BHUJ, Oct 2: In a clear message to Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday warned the neighbouring country against any aggression towards the Sir Creek region and said that any such move would be met with a "resounding response" that could change "history and geography".

The defence minister made the remarks at a military base near the border city of Bhuj in Gujarat as he celebrated Dussehra with soldiers and performed 'shastra puja' (worship of weapons) on the occasion.

Singh also said that the Indian military successfully achieved all the objectives of Operation Sindoor and starting a war with Pakistan by escalating the situation was not its aim.

However, his comments on the disputed Sir Creek drew much attention.

"Any aggression by Pakistan in the Sir Creek area will be met with a resounding response that will change both history and geography.

"In the 1965 war, the Indian Army had demonstrated the capability to reach Lahore. Today in 2025, Pakistan should remember that one route to Karachi passes through the creek," he said.

Sir Creek is a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Gujarat's Rann of Kutch and Pakistan. It is considered a disputed region due to varying interpretations of maritime boundary lines by the two sides.

"Despite 78 years of independence, the border dispute continues in the Sir Creek area. India has repeatedly attempted to resolve this issue through dialogue, but Pakistan's intentions are flawed and unclear," Singh said.

"The recent expansion of its (Pakistan's) military infrastructure in the areas adjacent to Sir Creek reveals its intentions," he said.

The defence minister said the Indian Army and the Border Security Force are vigilantly guarding India's borders.

On Operation Sindoor, Singh said India's fight against cross-border terrorism will continue.

He said Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate India's defence system during the operation, but the Indian military "exposed" the Pakistani air defence apparatus and sent a message to the world that it can inflict heavy losses on the adversary.

"During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate India's defence system from Leh to Sir Creek," he said.

"However, in retaliatory action, Indian forces completely exposed the Pakistani air defence system and sent a message to the world that Indian forces can inflict heavy losses on Pakistan whenever and wherever they wish," he said.

Singh said India displayed restraint because its military action was against terrorism.

"Escalating it and starting a war was not the objective of Operation Sindoor. I am happy that Indian forces have successfully achieved all the military objectives of Operation Sindoor. But our fight against terrorism continues," he said.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended on May 10 with an understanding on stopping military actions.

The defence minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring greater jointness among the three services.

"It was the jointness of our armed forces that executed Operation Sindoor in record time. On this occasion today, I also want to extend special congratulations to our brave soldiers and officers for the success of Operation Sindoor," Singh said.

"Your strategy, your courage and your capability have proven that India is capable of defeating the enemy in every situation. I am fully confident that the courage of all of you, the valour of all of you, will continue to protect India's sovereignty and integrity," he added.

The defence minister described the Army, the Air Force and the Navy as "three pillars" of India's strength.

"When these three services work together, only then can we effectively face every challenge," he said.

Singh has been performing 'shastra puja' on Dussehra for the last several years, including during his tenure as the Union home minister in the previous NDA government.

"For us, weapons are not just tools. Weapons are not merely for displaying power. Rather, we believe that weapons are a means to establish righteousness," he said.

Centre Receives Air Force Proposal To Buy 114 'Made In India' Rafale Jets

NEW DELHI, Sept 12: The Defence Ministry has received and started discussions on the proposal from the Indian Air Force for acquiring 114 'Made in India' Rafale fighter jets, which would be built by the French firm Dassault Aviation involving Indian aerospace firms.

The proposal, expected to be worth over Rs 2 lakh crore, including the indigenous content of more than 60 per cent, is expected to be taken up for discussion by the Defence Procurement Board headed by the Defence Secretary in the next few weeks.

The defence project, once completed, would be the biggest ever defence deal to have been signed by the Indian government.

"The Statement of Case (SoC) or the proposal for the 114 Rafale jets prepared by the Indian Air Force was received by the Defence Ministry a few days ago and is under consideration of the different wings under it, including Defence Finance. After deliberations, the proposal would then be moved to the DPB, followed by the Defence Acquisition Council, defence officials told ANI.

The biggest ever defence deal for the Rafales is expected to take the number of Rafale aircraft in the Indian defence forces' fleet to 176, as the Indian Air Force has already inducted 36 of them, and the Indian Navy has placed orders for 36 of them under government-to-government deals.

The move to take the proposal forward has come soon after the Rafale performed very well against Pakistan in Operation Sindoor, where it managed to comprehensively beat the Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles using its Spectra Electronic warfare suite.

The aircraft to be built in India are also likely to have longer-range air-to-ground missiles than the existing Scalp, which was used extensively to hit both military and terrorist targets inside Pakistan.

The indigenous content in the Made in India Rafale fighter jets is expected to be more than 60 per cent.

The French side is also planning to set up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility for the M-88 engines, which are used by Rafale jets in Hyderabad.

The French firm Dassault has already set up a firm to look after the maintenance of French-origin fighter jets. Indian aerospace firms such as Tata are also likely to be part of the manufacturing.

India has an urgent need to induct fighter jets to address the growing threat perception in the region.

The IAF's fighter jet force structure is expected to be primarily comprised of the Su-30 MKIs, Rafales, and indigenous fighter jet projects.

India has already ordered 180 LCA Mark1A jets and also has plans to induct the indigenous fifth-generation fighter in large numbers beyond 2035.