Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warned that India will take firm action against terrorism if a neighbouring country continues to “propagate terrorism”, while making it clear that New Delhi's commitment to national security is non-negotiable.
Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit 2026 on September 27, Singh said India believes in peace and does not want war or to threaten another country. However, he stressed that India's restraint should not be mistaken for weakness.
“India believes in peace, does not want war. India does not want to take over another land, does not want to threaten anyone. But there is a difference between silence and weakness,” Singh said.
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The Defence Minister reiterated that India's approach combines a stated commitment to peace and dialogue with a refusal to compromise on national security. He said India would remain prepared to take counter-terrorism measures against threats to the country.
Singh said India believes in dialogue and cooperation but maintained that dialogue cannot continue if a country continues to propagate terrorism. He added that cooperation would not come at the cost of India's national interests and security.
While Singh did not directly name Pakistan in the quoted remarks, NDTV reported that his reference to the “neighbouring country” was to Pakistan, in the context of India's allegations regarding Pakistan-based terror networks.
"India believes in dialogue, but if any country propagates terrorism, the dialogue will end then and there. India wants cooperation but not at the cost of national interest," he further added.
Singh's remarks come against the backdrop of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, including one Nepali national, were killed and several others were injured. India subsequently carried out missile strikes against sites it described as terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
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