Terrorism within India is sponsored by Pakistan: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday directly blamed Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism within India, saying the neighbouring country continues to serve as a breeding ground for terror aimed at destabilising Indian sovereignty.

“Terrorism within India is sponsored by Pakistan,” Shah said while addressing the Border Security Force Investiture Ceremony and the Rustamji Memorial Lecture. His remarks come in the wake of heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which several civilians were killed in front of their families earlier this month.

“After terrorists mercilessly killed civilians in front of their families in Pahalgam, the Prime Minister had vowed to avenge the brutal killings; that promise was delivered,” Shah said, referring to Operation Sindoor, the Indian military’s cross-border operation targeting terror launchpads.


Elaborating on Pakistan’s response to the operation, Shah said, “Pakistan took the attacks on terror infra during Operation Sindoor personally and tried attacking our military infrastructure. The Indian defence forces retaliated appropriately.”

The Union Home Minister, however, reiterated that India's target was never Pakistan’s military, but specifically its terror ecosystem. “I'd like to categorically reiterate that during Operation Sindoor, we didn't target Pakistan's military infrastructure,” Shah stated. “We dismantled terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan.”

Operation Sindoor: Experience proved 'litmus test' for Agniveers

Raising a pointed question to Islamabad, Shah said, “Why else does the Pakistani military target India when the Indian defence forces specifically only target terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan?”

Shah's sharp remarks reflect the Indian government's hardened posture following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives in Jammu and Kashmir, and come amid ongoing global diplomatic efforts to hold Pakistan accountable for harbouring terror groups.

Operation Sindoor: Precision response to terror

During Operation Sindoor, which started on May 7, the Indian Army successfully destroyed several posts and terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC) and within Pakistan.

Operation Sindoor showcased a calibrated, tri-services response that embodied precision, professionalism, and purpose. The operation, which involved precise targeting, was supported by advanced surveillance technology deployed to monitor enemy movements in forward areas.

In addition to the strikes on terrorist infrastructure, Indian Army officials also condemned the Pakistan Army’s violation of the cessation of hostilities. “Pakistan unilaterally broke the ceasefire understanding that was there between both the armies. They indiscriminately started firing and engaging the forward posts. They also targeted innocent civilians living in Poonch,” an officer posted at the LoC told news agency ANI.

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Operation Sindoor remains ongoing, with the Indian Army maintaining high alert across the LoC. “Operation Sindoor is still on and we continue to remain alert and vigilant,” the officer said.

Conceived as a punitive and targeted campaign, the operation aims to dismantle terror infrastructure across the LoC and deeper inside Pakistan.