‘High-Impact, Short-Duration’: Rajnath Singh Hails Op Sindoor Amid Row Over Chavan's Remarks

Amid a political storm triggered by Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan’s remarks questioning India’s Operation Sindoor success, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the calm with which ordinary Indians went about their daily lives during Pakistani retaliation reflected the country’s deep trust in the armed forces.

Addressing the Air Force Commanders’ Conclave in New Delhi, Singh praised the Indian Air Force for the “courage, speed and precision” with which it destroyed terror camps across the border and effectively handled what he described as Pakistan’s “irresponsible reaction” after the strikes.

Highlighting public confidence in India’s air defence capabilities, the Defence Minister said that unlike typical wartime situations, civilians

did not panic when Pakistan attempted to target Indian installations.

“Usually, when the enemy attacks, people hide. But when Pakistani forces tried to target Indian installations, the people of India remained calm and continued with their daily routines. This is proof of every Indian’s trust in our operational preparedness,” Singh said.

Singh described Operation Sindoor as a demonstration of India’s “high-impact, short-duration” military capability and said the IAF had emerged as a “technologically advanced, operationally agile and future-ready force”. He urged commanders to draw lessons from the operation and remain prepared for future challenges.

What Sparked The Row

The Defence Minister’s remarks came days after senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan claimed that India had suffered a “total defeat” in an aerial fight with Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor on May 7.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Chavan said the aerial engagement lasted about half an hour and alleged that the Indian Air Force was grounded for the rest of the day due to fears of aircraft being shot down.

“One may believe this or not. After that, not a single aircraft took flight that day,” Chavan said, adding that bases such as Gwalior, Bathinda and Sirsa were vulnerable.

Chavan also questioned the relevance of maintaining a 12-lakh-strong Army, arguing that future wars would be dominated by air power and missile systems. He refused to apologise for his remarks, saying the Constitution gave him the right to ask questions.

Political Backlash

Chavan’s comments drew sharp reactions across party lines. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused the Congress of “speaking the language of Pakistan” and said such statements demoralised the armed forces.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra went further, calling the remarks “loaded with sedition” and alleging that the Congress was playing into foreign hands. Union ministers Giriraj Singh and several MPs from the NCP, TDP, AAP and Samajwadi Party also criticised Chavan, calling his comments inappropriate and harmful to military morale.

The Congress, however, defended Chavan, with state party chief Harshwardhan Sapkal insisting that neither Chavan nor the party had questioned the valour of the armed forces.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. India has said it struck terror infrastructure deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir using Rafale jets, SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs, killing over 100 terrorists in a swift, precision operation.