Defence minister Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: Warning Pakistan about its recent military infrastructure build-up near the sensitive Sir Creek region, defence minister Rajnath Singh Thursday said this shows its “true intentions”. Any misadventure by the neighbour would result in a response “so strong it will change both history and geography” of the area, he warned.“In 1965 (war), Indian Army showed courage by reaching Lahore. In 2025, Pakistan must remember that the road to Karachi also passes through the Creek,” Singh said after performing shastra (arms) puja at Bhuj military station in Gujarat.The marshlands of Sir Creek, a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Rann of Kutch and Pakistan’s Sindh, have been a bone of contention between the neighbours due to differing interpretations of the maritime boundary in the region. The long-standing dispute has implications for access to fishing rights and potential natural resources like oil and gas in the region and affects drawing of maritime boundaries and EEZs in Arabian Sea.

Our fight against terror continues: Min

Talking about the intense cross-border hostilities under Operation Sindoor from May 7 to 10, Rajnath said Pakistan made failed attempts to penetrate India’s defences along the LoCand International Border stretching from Leh to the Sir Creek region by launching multiple waves of drones and some missiles. The Indian response “exposed the weaknesses of Pakistan’s air defence”, Rajnath said. Despite its superior capability, India showed restraint because its military action was targeted against terrorism and its training hubs. “The objective of Operation Sindoor was not to escalate and start a war. I am happy that the Indian armed forces successfully achieved all the military objectives of Operation Sindoor.However, our fight against terrorismcontinues,” he said.