Will go to any extent to protect citizens: Rajnath Singh on Operation Sindoor

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated the unmatched valour of India’s Armed Forces and conveyed a global message that the country would go to any extent to protect its citizens. He was speaking at the ‘Sindoor Maharaktadan Yatra’ blood donation camp organised at the Base Hospital in Delhi Cantt.

Mr. Singh said the operation had shown India’s resolve to eliminate terrorists and their handlers based in Pakistan, and ensured that those who cast an “evil eye” on the country faced consequences. His remarks came in the context of the recent military operation, which was carried out in response to cross-border terrorism.

Drawing a parallel between Operation Sindoor and the blood donation campaign, the Defence Minister said that while the military operation showcased courage, the mega blood donation camp represented compassion. Nearly 500 voluntary donors participated in the camp, with about 1,000 wrestlers and athletes from Maharashtra among those associated with the initiative.

Mr. Singh thanked the donors and said the blood collected would serve as a reserve for soldiers and their families in need. Describing blood donation as “Jivandan” and “Mahadan”, he noted that despite advances in science and medicine, there is still no artificial substitute for human blood. “Blood can only be produced by the human body and donated by one person to another,” he said, calling voluntary blood donation one of the noblest forms of charity.

The Defence Minister said both blood donors and recipients were serving the nation in their own way and urged the youth to make blood donation a culture. He said India’s vision for 2047 should extend beyond becoming a developed economy to building a compassionate society where people are healthy and safe, and blood is readily available during emergencies.

Mr. Singh also stressed the importance of fitness among the youth, saying healthy individuals are better placed to contribute to society and undertake causes such as blood donation. He cited the government’s Khelo India and Fit India initiatives as efforts to promote fitness as a way of life.

Highlighting Maharashtra’s tradition of valour and compassion, he invoked the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and said physical strength should ultimately be used to protect others and safeguard the nation.

The event was attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth, and senior military and civil officials. The Armed Forces Medical Services said maintaining adequate blood reserves was particularly important because military hospitals cater to routine healthcare as well as operational, trauma, and emergency requirements.