In a charged parliamentary session, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of failing to act decisively during India’s recent military operation against Pakistan. Gandhi said India cannot afford Modi as prime minister, alleging that the government had instructed the armed forces not to target military infrastructure in Pakistan, thereby compromising national security and costing the country aircraft and lives.
Prime Minister Modi, in response, defended Operation Sindoor as a strong and strategic military campaign carried out in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 Hindu pilgrims. He claimed the operation demonstrated India’s resolve by calling Pakistan’s nuclear bluff and striking terror camps deep inside Pakistani territory within minutes of the attack. However, Modi avoided mentioning losses sustained by the Indian Air Force and sidestepped calls from opposition leaders to provide casualty figures or details of equipment lost.
Modi also claimed that Operation Sindoor elevated India’s global stature in the defence sector, generating international interest in Indian-made munitions. He stated that only three countries spoke for Pakistan at the United Nations, while the world largely backed India’s right to defend itself. He further claimed that the United States Vice President had tried to contact him several times during the conflict, but he was too occupied with high-level military briefings.
Home Minister Amit Shah supported the prime minister’s statements, announcing that three attackers involved in the Pahalgam incident had been killed, two of whom were identified as former members of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, senior opposition figure Farooq Abdullah questioned whether the men killed were actually responsible for the April 22 attack, calling for greater transparency.
Gandhi challenged the prime minister to refute repeated claims made by former U.S. President Donald Trump that he intervened to stop the conflict between India and Pakistan. Gandhi asserted that if Trump was lying, Modi should publicly say so. He also cited the testimony of Captain Shiv Kumar, India’s defence attaché to Indonesia, who reportedly stated that India’s forces were restricted from targeting Pakistan’s air defence systems, resulting in the loss of aircraft.
Opposition leaders continued to press the government for full disclosure on India’s operational losses, with many accusing the prime minister of prioritizing political optics over military strategy. As the country reflects on the consequences of Operation Sindoor, political tensions in parliament remain high.