NEW DELHI: If terrorists try to disturb peace in India or carry out terror activities, a befitting response will be given and if they run away to Pakistan, India will enter the neighbouring country to kill them, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, referring to New Delhi's assertive approach to deal with cross-border terrorism.
The defence minister was responding to a question on a report by British newspaper "The Guardian" that claimed Indian intelligence agencies carried out assassinations of terrorists in Pakistan as part of an emboldened approach to national security after 2019.
"If terrorists from the neighbouring country try to disturb the peace in Bharat or try to carry out terror activities in Bharat, we will give them a befitting reply," Singh told "CNN News 18".
"If they run away to Pakistan, we will enter Pakistan to kill them," he said.
Singh said India has the strength to take stern action against cross-border terrorism and Pakistan has started realising it.
The defence minister supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comments that "Bharat" would not be a mute spectator.
"Whatever the prime minister has said is absolutely true. And India has that strength and Pakistan has also started realising this," Singh said.
At the same time, he said India always wants to maintain good relations with its neighbours.
"Whatever it is, they are our neighbouring countries. Look at the history. Till date, we neither attacked any country in the world nor tried to occupy an inch of land of any country. This has been the nature of India. But if anyone comes to India and tries to promote terrorist activities, we will not spare them," he said.
In the past, Pakistan had accused India of carrying out assassinations on Pakistani soil. But India had denied all the charges.
Asked about the possibility of removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Kashmir, Singh said the Union home ministry has to take a decision on it.
"Now the time has come to decide. The decision will have to be taken by the home ministry after a report comes. I had said that the circumstances have become such that the AFSPA can be removed but whatever action has to be taken in this regard will be taken by the home ministry," he said.
