New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit the Bhuj airbase in Gujarat today, a day after his tour of Jammu and Kashmir where he interacted with troops and reviewed security conditions in the wake of the recent military standoff with Pakistan. His Gujarat visit will also include a stop at the India-Pakistan border, with a focus on evaluating the operational preparedness of Indian forces in the region.
The visit comes amid heightened security concerns after the four-day military conflict with Pakistan, during which Gujarat—bordering Pakistan along a 508-kilometre stretch—was reportedly targeted by drone incursions. Bhuj, in particular, faced drone attacks that were successfully countered by the Indian armed forces. Singh’s trip underscores the government’s intent to assess ground realities and readiness along the western front. Officials said he will interact with soldiers and top military commanders to understand their preparedness and morale.
Questions over nuclear safety
On Thursday, Singh made a high-profile visit to Jammu and Kashmir, which bore the brunt of cross-border terror attacks and military escalation. While addressing soldiers at the Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar, he raised serious concerns about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
He questioned the global community’s silence on Pakistan’s threats and urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor Islamabad’s nuclear capabilities. “The whole world has seen how irresponsibly Pakistan has threatened India. From the land of Srinagar, I raise a serious question—are nuclear weapons safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation?” Singh said.
Singh reviews LoC
He also lauded the Indian armed forces for their response following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which terrorists reportedly targeted civilians based on their religion. “They killed innocent tourists in Pahalgam after asking their ‘dharma’. But we responded by eliminating terrorists in Pakistan and PoK based on their ‘karma’,” he told troops.
This was Singh’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the launch of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam attack. During the visit, he took stock of the situation along both the Line of Control and the International Border.
