India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (April 2, 2026) warned “unprecedented and decisive” action against Pakistan’s “misadventure”, inviting a threatening response from the western neighbour’s counterpart, Khawaja Asif, of a “forceful” attack.
Rajnath Singh was addressing an event in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram to honour Indian soldiers when he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had always given the highest respect for troops who made supreme sacrifices for the nation, recalling last year’s Pahalgam terror attack.
“After the terror attack in Pahalgam, Indian soldiers brought Pakistan to its knees in just 22 minutes during Operation Sindoor. This was the biggest operation against terrorism in the history of the Indian military,” the Indian defence minister said.
“The operation (Sindoor) is not over yet. If any mischief is carried out from across the border, not only will a befitting response be given, but there will be unprecedented action,” he said.
“Our neighbour, in the current situation, can commit any misadventure. If it does so, India’s response will be unprecedented and decisive,” Rajnath Singh said.
He also emphasised that the NDA government has taken decisive action against terrorism and reiterated India’s policy of ‘zero tolerance’.
Mentioning the ongoing West Asian war, Rajnath Singh said the Modi government was taking all steps to ensure the safety of Indian nationals in the region. Assuring that there was no shortage of gas and fuel in the country, he said India was ready to deal with any energy crisis.
Reacting to Rajnath Singh’s remarks, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif threatened that his country’s response to any Indian attack would be “swift, calibrated, and decisive”.
On X, Asif posted: Repeated rhetoric reflects not strength, but visible strategic anxiety as the anniversary of the Pahalgam attack approaches.
“Such threat-mongering is not new; it is part of a predictable pattern – externalising internal fragility, and attempting to provoke escalation under the garb of unsubstantiated allegations for vested political interests,” he claimed.
On Operation Sindoor in May 2026, the Pakistani Minister said history was a stark reminder that miscalculation has consequences.
“The next time our response will be even more forceful and decisive. Let there be no ambiguity: Pakistan remains committed to peace and regional stability, but its resolve to defend sovereignty is absolute, its preparedness complete, and its response will be swift, calibrated, and decisive,” he said.
India and Pakistan fought a short, 4-day war in May 2025, codenamed by New Delhi as ‘Operation Sindoor’, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack by Islamabad-sponsored terrorists in April that year.