Mistake to consider peace as weakness, India prepared for operation against terrorism: Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister of India, has commented that it will be a mistake to view India’s desire for peace as weakness. He said India will remain prepared to carry out operation against terrorists if any neighbouring country continues to sponsor terrorism.

Rajnath Singh said these words in his speech at NDTV Defence Summit 2026 on Sunday (September 27). Senior defence officials, military officers and industry representatives of the country took part in this day-long conference organised on India’s defence capability, military technology and future war strategy.

Rajnath Singh said India wants peace and has no desire to occupy territory of any other country. However, no compromise will be made on the question of national security. In his words, India will remain prepared to carry out any kind of operation against terrorists as long as the neighbouring country sponsors terrorism. NDTV’s report said by ‘neighbouring country’ he has indicated towards Pakistan.

India’s defence minister further said his country believes in dialogue and cooperation. But if any country sponsors terrorism that dialogue can no longer continue. He also said there is no scope for India to go for cooperation or understanding in exchange of national interest.

At the conference Chief of Army Staff of India General Dhiraj Seth spoke on the use of technology in the battlefield, information warfare and military capability. He said although technology is reducing the time of fighting in the battlefield the duration of the entire war is not decreasing. In his opinion the time limit of modern war is gradually becoming indefinite and pauses are being created after intermittent intense fighting.

According to General Seth the clearest and most realistic yardstick of victory in war is control of territory. Due to various information, narratives and information warfare about war on social media the actual situation often remains hidden. But even amid these confusions control of territory will remain the most important indicator of victory, he commented.

India’s army chief said the role of the land force is indispensable in occupying, keeping under control and securing any territory. For this reason the importance of effective military presence on land will not decrease even in modern technology-dependent war.

In his speech General Seth also drew the context of a historical photo of the final stage of Bangladesh’s Liberation War on December 16, 1971. He mentioned that photo of the surrender of Pakistani forces as a clear moment of the end of the war. In his opinion such a specific moment of end is not always being seen in the current conflicts.

General Seth further said the current wars can be seen as ‘wars with pauses’. Pauses within conflict are also becoming part of military strategy now. However, these pauses are not proof of dominance of any side over the conflict; rather they indicate change in the intensity and nature of the conflict.

India’s army chief also highlighted the importance of self-reliance in the case of prolonged conflict. In his opinion the ability to depend on own capability and supply system when crisis is prolonged can create a big difference in military outcome.