New Delhi/Bhuj, Oct 02: In a stern warning to Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said any misadventure by Islamabad in the Sir Creek sector will invite a “decisive response” that will be strong enough to change both “history and geography”.

Singh’s remarks at a military base near the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat’s Bhuj came against the backdrop of the neighbouring country expanding military infrastructure in the disputed region.

The defence minister 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.

The operation “exposed” Pakistan’s air defence and proved India’s “decisive capability”, he said.

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

“If Pakistan dares to act in the Sir Creek sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography,” the minister said.

“In 1965, the Indian Army showed courage by reaching Lahore and in 2025, Pakistan must remember that the road to Karachi also 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.

The defence minister drew attention to the fact that even after 78 years of independence, Pakistan “continues to create disputes” over the Sir Creek sector, despite India’s repeated efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue.

Pakistan’s recent expansion of military infrastructure in the Sir Creek sector reflects its ill intention, he said.

“Any misadventure by Pakistan in the Sir Creek sector will invite a decisive response,” he said.

Singh also virtually inaugurated the tidal berthing facility and a joint control centre (JCC) in the strategic sector.

The facilities will act as major enablers for integrated coastal operations while significantly enhancing joint operational capability, coastal security coordination and rapid response to any threats, according to the defence ministry.

In his remarks, Singh lauded the Indian armed forces for “successfully thwarting” Pakistan’s attempts to breach India’s defence network during Operation Sindoor.

“Pakistan tried to penetrate India’s defences from Leh to Sir Creek sector, but the swift and effective counter-action of the Indian forces not only exposed the weaknesses of Pakistan’s air defence system but also sent out a clear message to the world that India can inflict heavy damage at a time, place and manner of its choosing,” he said.

Singh underlined that despite having the capability, India demonstrated restraint as Operation Sindoor was aimed at countering terrorism and not provoking a wider conflict.

He expressed satisfaction that all military objectives of Operation Sindoor were successfully achieved and reaffirmed that India’s fight against terrorism will continue with full resolve.

“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.

Lauding the success of Operation Sindoor, Singh said it was possible due to the seamless jointness of the armed forces.

He congratulated the soldiers and officers for their strategy, courage and capability that proved India’s ability to defeat its adversaries under any circumstances.

“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.

The defence minister said ‘shastra puja’ is not merely a ritual, but a reflection of India’s civilisational philosophy, where weapons are regarded as instruments of dharma and not just tools of violence.

He drew parallels from Indian tradition where farmers worship their plough, students revere their books and soldiers honour their weapons.

Singh stressed that weapons must always be used for the protection of justice and righteousness.

“Knowledge without the power to defend it is vulnerable and power without the guidance of knowledge leads to chaos. The balance of ‘shaastra’ (knowledge) and ‘shastra’ (weapons) keeps our civilisation vibrant and invincible,” he added.

The defence minister also talked about the challenges along India’s borders.

“The challenges have never been simple and they come in different forms. At times, these challenges appear in the form of external aggression, at times as terrorist organisations and in today’s world, they also appear in the form of cyber warfare and information warfare,” he added.

Extending his greetings on the occasion of Vijayadashami, Singh said the festival is a reminder that no matter how powerful evil may appear, it is righteousness that ultimately prevails.

“The worship of weapons on this day is deeply connected with India’s national life as it represents respect for the country’s collective strength, security and freedom,” he said.

New Delhi, Oct 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid his tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary, and said his government will follow his path for building a developed India.

He said on X, “Gandhi Jayanti is about paying homage to the extraordinary life of beloved Bapu, whose ideals transformed the course of human history. He demonstrated how courage and simplicity could become instruments of great change.”

Modi said Gandhi believed in the power of service and compassion as essential means of empowering people.

He also paid homage to India’s second prime minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, whose birth anniversary, too, fell on Thursday.

He lauded him as an extraordinary statesman whose integrity, humility, and determination strengthened India.

“He personified exemplary leadership, strength and decisive action. His clarion call of ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ ignited a spirit of patriotism among our people. He continues to motivate us in the endeavour of building a strong and self-reliant India,” the prime minister said.

Modi, who has been passionately promoting swadeshi, said buying products made by Indians will be a true tribute to Gandhi and Shastri.

Swadeshi is the foundation of a self-reliant and developed India, he added.

Born in Gujarat in 1869, Gandhi is considered the most influential Indian of his era as he shaped the country’s freedom movement through truth and non-violence, winning worldwide following.

Shastri was born in Uttar Pradesh in 1904 and rose to become the country’s prime minister after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru.

His honesty and leadership of the country in his short stint as prime minister during which India fought a war with Pakistan earned him universal praise.

Nagpur, Oct 2: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said the positions taken by various countries after the Pahalgam terror attack showed the nature and extent of their friendship with India.

He was speaking at the RSS’s annual Vijayadashmi rally, which also marked the centenary of the organisation. The RSS was founded on Dussehra (September 27) in 1925 in Nagpur by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a physician from Maharashtra.

“Even though we maintain friendly relations with other countries, and we will continue to do so, when it comes to our security, we need to be more careful, more watchful and stronger. After the Pahalgam attack, the positions taken by various countries also revealed which of them are our friends, and to what extent,” Bhagwat said.

He said terrorists crossed the border and killed 26 Indians after checking their religion in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which drew a fitting response from the country, referring to Operation Sindoor.

“This caused immense pain and anger in the country. Our government made complete preparations and gave a firm rebuttal. In the aftermath, the leadership’s resolve, the valour of our armed forces and the unity of society were evident,” he said.

He said extremist elements had faced action from the government, while society too distanced itself after recognising their “hollowness”. “They will be controlled. A major hurdle has now been removed in that area,” the RSS chief said.

He also said that the lack of schemes ensuring justice, development, goodwill, sensitivity and strength often leads to the rise of extremist forces.

“People who are annoyed by the system’s lethargy tend to seek support from such extremist elements. To prevent this, the state and society must work together through initiatives that give people faith in the system,” Bhagwat said.

Former president Ram Nath Kovind was present as the chief guest at the event.