Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh speaks on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Union government on Saturday (June 27, 2026) rejected the “misleading social media claims” that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that no Indian soldier was killed during Operation Sindoor, asserting that his remarks in Parliament had been selectively quoted and stripped of their context.
On July 28, 2025, while speaking before the Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh clearly stated that no Indian soldiers were harmed during Operation Sindoor.
While speaking for 55 minutes during the 16-hour-long discussion, he said, “If you want to raise a question, then ask whether any of our brave soldiers were harmed in this operation. The answer is, no, none of our soldiers were harmed.”
“When the objectives are high then our attention should not be on irrelevant issues. Because by focusing on irrelevant issues at times, our attention gets diverted from important issues related to national security and morale of soldiers,” Mr. Singh said.
On multiple occasions, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Mr. Singh have both affirmed that the Operation Sindoor is ongoing. The pause is viewed not as permanent peace, but as a temporary cessation of hostilities while India keeps its forces on high alert.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) clarified in a statement that certain social media posts had misrepresented the Defence Minister’s address in 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 the clarification, Mr. Singh’s remarks were specifically intended to counter a widely circulated false narrative at the time claiming that Indian Air Force pilots had been killed during Operation Sindoor. The government said this misinformation was being actively amplified in sections of the media and on social media to undermine the operation’s success and weaken public morale.
“It was in direct reference to this specific and mischievous narrative that the Defence Minister made the statement in question,” the MoD said, adding that his remarks were a targeted response to false claims and not a denial of casualties suffered by the armed forces.
The statement emphasised that the Defence Minister’s address in Parliament highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor, during which Indian forces carried out precision strikes against terror infrastructure and military targets across the border. It said the operation resulted in the elimination of more than 100 terrorists and Pakistani soldiers, while inflicting significant damage on Pakistani air bases and military infrastructure along the Line of Control.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to honouring the armed forces, the statement said the nation holds the highest respect for personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. It noted that the names of those killed during Operation Sindoor have been inscribed on the National War Memorial in recognition of their supreme sacrifice.
The government also said it has extended educational, healthcare and other welfare benefits to the families and dependents of the fallen personnel, reaffirming that their sacrifice would always be honoured with dignity and gratitude.
A day after the government officially disclosed the names of the military personnel who lost their lives during Operation Sindoor, the Congress on Saturday alleged that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had misled Parliament by claiming that no Indian soldier was killed during the operation.
Published – June 27, 2026 10:43 pm IST
