Jammu, Jun 21: Observing that Pakistan wanted to weaken India from within, the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday asserted that the nation and its armed forces were fully prepared to “take all kinds of action against terrorism.”
He also warned that Pakistan would have to face consequences for supporting terror acts against India. The Defence Minister was addressing the soldiers at Northern Command in Udhampur where he celebrated the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) with the Armed Forces.
Joined by the Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi; General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Pratik Sharma and other senior officers, Rajnath Singh performed various asanas and breathing exercises. Approximately 2,500 soldiers participated in celebrations at Northern Command. The Defence Minister had reached Udhampur on Friday evening on his two-day visit to J&K.
Following Yoga Day celebrations, he held a security review meeting with the Army Chief, GOC-in-C Northern Command and Commanders of various units assessing situation in border areas and security arrangements made for Shri Amarnath Yatra beginning July 3, 2025. He was also briefed about anti-terror operations. He took off from Jammu for the union capital after attending events in Udhampur.
Earlier in his address during an event related to Yoga Day celebrations, the Defence Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for popularising Yoga globally. “Yoga practice provides a holistic approach to health and well-being. Yoga is a universal solution to the problems faced by people in today’s fast-paced world such as stress, anxiety and depression. It gives clarity to the people in chaos. It is an art, a science, a philosophy, and spirituality. Those who practice Yoga in their daily lives have control over their body and mind. It makes us proactive, not reactive,” he asserted.
Describing Operation Sindoor as a shining example of that control, Rajnath Singh stated that Indian Armed Forces displayed restraint, balance and precision during the operation, which was a reflection of their inner strength attained by practising Yoga. He stated that India’s social and communal unity was targetted through the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor was a clear message to Pakistan that it would face the consequences for supporting terror activities against India.
“Operation Sindoor is the natural progression of the surgical strike of 2016 and the air strike of 2019. It was executed in such a way that Pakistan requested for a ceasefire, and only then have we put a pause to the operation. As I have said earlier, Operation Sindoor is not over yet. India is fully prepared to take all kinds of action against terrorism. Our response to its (Pakistan’s) acts will be worse for it,” Defence Minister said. He reiterated that Pakistan’s ‘1000 cuts’ policy against India would not succeed and ‘Operation Sindoor’ conveyed it effectively.
Observing that Pakistan wanted to weaken India from within, Rajnath Singh said that it (Pakistan) should never forget that just like Major Somnath Sharma, Brigadier Usman too sacrificed his life for the unity and integrity of the country.
“When the nation is celebrating International Day of Yoga, it should remember the true meaning of the practice, which is to connect every section of society with the culture and soul of India. If even one section is left behind, the wheel of unity and security is broken. Therefore, today, we should perform yoga at the level of society and thought and not just body,” he said.
The Defence Minister appreciated the inclination of the Armed Forces personnel towards Yoga which, he said, had a direct impact on their discipline and focus. “Yoga prepares a soldier physically and mentally and its benefits can be seen in the battlefield,” he said, encouraging the soldiers to continue practicing it daily.
Reiterating the Prime Minister’s statement that ‘Yoga is India’s gift to the world’, the Defence Minister stated that it was not just a diplomatic quote, but a vision. “Through Yoga, India has given the world a tool which is beyond any border; religion and culture,” he said.
Rajnath Singh said that Yoga was silently changing the world and every citizen should be proud of the fact that India’s ancient tradition was being recognised and accepted globally. He dubbed it as a responsibility to not just practice Yoga as a trend but make it a way of life.
