Center exposes social media claims regarding Rajnath Singh’s Operation Sindoor speech
Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh talks about Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha. File | Photo credit: ANI
The Union government on Saturday (Jun 27, 2026) rejected “misleading social media claims” that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had said that no Indian soldier was killed during Operation Sindoor, saying his remarks in Parliament were selectively quoted and taken out of context.
On 28 July 2025, while speaking before the Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh clearly stated that no Indian soldier was injured during Operation Sindoor.
During the 55-minute debate during the 16-hour debate, he said: “If you want to raise a question, ask if any of our brave soldiers were injured in this operation. The answer is, no, none of our soldiers were injured.”
“When the goals are high, then our attention should not be focused on trivial issues. Because by sometimes focusing on trivial issues, our attention is diverted from the important issues related to national security and morale of soldiers,” said Mr. Singh.
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Mr. Singh have confirmed on several occasions that Operation Sindoor is continuing. The pause is not seen as a permanent peace but as a temporary cessation of hostilities while India keeps its forces on high alert.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) clarified that some social media posts misrepresented the Defense Minister’s address to Parliament by isolating a portion of his speech to falsely suggest that he denied any Indian military casualties during the cross-border operation.
According to clarifications, Mr. Singh’s remarks were specifically intended to counter a widely circulated false story at the time that claimed Indian Air Force pilots were killed during Operation Sindoor. The government said that this disinformation was actively spread in sections of the media and on social media to undermine the success of the operation and weaken public morale.
“The Minister of Defense made the statement in question in direct reference to this specific and malicious narrative,” the Ministry of Defense said, adding that his remarks were a targeted response to the false claims and not a denial of casualties suffered by the armed forces.
The statement pointed out that the defense minister’s speech in Parliament highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor, during which Indian forces conducted precision strikes against terrorist infrastructure and military targets across the border. It said the operation resulted in the killing of more than 100 terrorists and Pakistani soldiers and caused significant damage to Pakistani air bases and military infrastructure along the Line of Control.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to honoring the armed forces, the statement said the nation has the highest regard for personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. It noted that the names of those killed during Operation Sindoor were inscribed on the National War Memorial in recognition of their supreme sacrifice.
The government also said it has extended educational, health and other welfare benefits to the families and dependents of the fallen and reaffirmed that their sacrifice will always be honored with dignity and gratitude.
A day after the government officially released the names of military personnel who lost their lives during Operation Sindoor, the Congress on Saturday alleged that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had misled Parliament by claiming that no Indian soldier was killed in the operation.
Published – 27 Jun 2026 22:43 IST