With Rafale jets, India won't have to cross the border to 'eliminate terror camps' in Pakistan: Rajnath Singh

With the induction of Rafale fighter jets in the air force, India will not have to cross the borders to “eliminate the terror camps” in Pakistan but can do it from the country itself, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here. Singh arrived in the US on Monday for the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington on December 18.

Addressing members of the Indian community at an event organised by the Consulate General of India at the educational organisation, Asia Society, he applauded the courage and valour of India’s armed forces and recalled his France visit in October to receive the first of the 36 Rafale fighter jets at a facility of Dassault Aviation in the French port city of Bordeaux. Now that India will have the jets, “if we have to eliminate the terror camps, there will be no need to take the planes to Pakistan. We can do it from India”, Singh said amid loud applause from the audience.

Replying to a member of the audience who commented that Singh had said that if talks are held with Pakistan, it will now only be on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the defence minister said, “Baat kya hogi, PoK toh apna hai hi (What is there to talk, PoK is ours)”, amidst loud cheers from those present. Singh had said that if talks were held with Pakistan in future, it would be only on PoK. Singh said India’s military strength is increasing, but the country also takes precaution even when dealing with Pakistan.