PoK Is Ours, Will Return to India: Rajnath Singh Declares Confidence in Make-in-India After Operation Sindoor Success

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday asserted that Make-in-India played a critical role in the Indian Army’s success during Operation Sindoor, a decisive counter-terror mission targeting threats emanating from Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). He further expressed confidence that PoK residents are a part of India and will one day join the national mainstream.

“Make-in-India is an essential component in our national security and it played a key role in India’s effective action against terrorism during Operation Sindoor,” said Rajnath Singh while addressing industry leaders at the Inaugural Plenary of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Business Summit in New Delhi.

He stated that indigenous defence strength was crucial for the Army’s operational success and emphasized the pivotal role domestic production played in enhancing India’s combat readiness.

The Defence Minister also unveiled the Execution Model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, India’s ambitious project to develop fifth-generation fighter jets. For the first time, private defence firms will collaborate with public sector units on such a large scale.

According to an official release from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Singh hailed the AMCA Execution Model as a “bold and decisive step” that would propel India’s aerospace sector to new heights.

“Under the AMCA project, the plan is to develop five prototypes, which will be followed by series production. It is a key milepost in the history of the Make-in-India programme,” Singh said.

He reiterated that India’s armed forces would not have been able to respond so effectively to terrorism threats from across the border without bolstering local defence manufacturing.

“The Indian Armed Forces would not have been able to take effective action against terrorism in Pakistan and PoK if the nation had not strengthened its indigenous defence capabilities,” he added.

In a powerful closing remark that stirred patriotic sentiments, Singh said: “Those residing in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are our own, and one day, they will surely return to the mainstream.”