Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, warned Pakistan on Saturday, saying that anyone attempting to harm the country will receive a befitting response.

He further asserted that the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) would have been eradicated from the nation if the Congress government in Chhattisgarh had “cooperated fully” when speaking at a rally in the Maoist-affected Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. He also claimed that the number of forced conversions to religion had increased in the state.

About India’s response to the terrorist attacks in Uri (2016) and Pulwama (2019), Mr Singh claimed that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India had become a powerful country and was no longer a weak one.

“Some terrorists from Pakistan intruded into India and attacked our Jawans leaving many of them martyred. I was the home minister then. The Prime Minister held a meeting in Delhi and decided within 10 minutes. Our army Jawans successfully neutralized terrorists on Pakistan’s land,” he said.

“I want to tell my neighbour that do not try to mess with India and do not try to provoke us. We will not only kill from this side; if required, we can also enter and kill on that side (across the border). Now India has changed,” Mr Singh added.

Pakistan has expressed grave reservations to the US regarding the expanding defence cooperation between India and the US. According to a media report, Pakistani officials see this development as a direct threat to the country’s security interests. Through diplomatic channels, Pakistan told the US that supplying cutting-edge military equipment to India without considering Pakistan’s concerns would jeopardize strategic stability and the conventional balance in the South Asian region.

Several agreements between the two nations were achieved during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent state visit to the US, mainly in the security and commercial sectors. One special arrangement has General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics, a state-owned company in India, working together to manufacture cutting-edge fighter jet engines for India’s indigenous light combat aircraft. In addition, the US has consented to build a facility in India to manufacture battle-proven armed drones.