Make-in-India tech powered Op Sindoor: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Operation Sindoor had demonstrated a new, assertive face of India, forcing Pakistan to yield within hours and proving the strength of Indian technology and the “Make-in-India” initiative in defence.

Speaking at a public event in Bengaluru during the foundation-laying ceremony of Metro phase-3, Modi said the military offensive was a decisive blow to terror hubs deep inside Pakistan. He noted that the operation marked a turning point in India’s counter-terror posture, as the armed forces destroyed targets several kilometres across the border in a short span of time.

“This is my first visit to Bengaluru after Operation Sindoor. The whole world saw India’s resolve against terrorism. Our forces crossed the border, destroyed terrorist hideouts and compelled Pakistan, which stood behind terrorism, to give in within hours,” Modi said, crediting indigenous defence technology and the role of Karnataka’s youth for the success.

He urged Bengaluru and the state to play a greater role in achieving a “zero defect, zero effect” standard in manufacturing, producing defect-free goods without harming the environment, as part of the vision for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He said the next big priority was a “Tech Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, focused on rapidly developing new products for India’s needs.

Modi also highlighted Bengaluru’s contribution to the country’s digital transformation, noting that more than half of the world’s real-time transactions now take place through India’s UPI platform. He said the government was investing in advanced technologies such as AI-powered threat detection to ensure the benefits of the digital revolution reached every citizen.

Linking this growth to wider economic progress, Modi pointed out that India was moving rapidly towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, driven by a “reform, perform, transform” approach. He contrasted current infrastructure development with pre-2014 levels, saying metro rail coverage had expanded from five cities to over 1,000 km in 24 cities, railway electrification had more than doubled, airports had risen from 74 to over 160, and operational national waterways had increased tenfold.

“India is currently the fastest-growing major economy in the world. In the past 11 years, India’s economy has risen from the 10th position to the top five globally and is rapidly progressing toward becoming one of the top three economies,” said Modi.

Emphasising that India’s achievements are soaring not just on land but also in the skies, the Prime Minister highlighted that in 2014, India had only 74 airports, and today, the number has increased to over 160. He also pointed out the remarkable progress in waterway infrastructure, stating that in 2014, only three national waterways were operational and this number had now risen to 30.