New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday hailed Operation Sindoor, calling it a collaboration of Prime Minister's strong political will, accurate information provided by the country's intelligence-gathering agencies and the amazing display of lethality by the Indian armed forces.

Addressing the Border Security Force Investiture Ceremony in the national capital, Shah said, '...Operation Sindoor is when our Prime Minister's strong political will, accurate information from our intelligence-gathering agencies and the army's amazing display of lethality came together. Operation Sindoor is formed when all three come together.

'Our country has been facing Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for many decades. Pakistan has carried out many big incidents for years, but it has not been given a proper response... In 2014, Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party was formed and the first big attack was on our soldiers in Uri; they dared to burn them alive and we did the work of giving a befitting reply to the terrorists by entering the terrorist hideouts for the first time by doing surgical strikes immediately after Uri,' Shah said.

'We had attacked the terrorists but Pakistan proved that it sponsors terrorism...Pakistan, considering the attack on terrorists as an attack on itself...When the Pakistani army tried to attack our civilian bases and our military establishments, the Indian army gave a strong reply. It demonstrated their firepower by attacking their airbases,' the Union Home Minister stated.

Shah further said that Pakistan stood exposed after it retaliated India's precision strikes at terrorist camps. 'Today Pakistan stands exposed that the terrorism in India is Pakistan-sponsored...When we launched an attack on terrorist sites in Pakistan, the Pakistan army retaliated...The officers of the Pakistan army attended the funeral of the terrorists...'

Praising the role of BSF during Operation Sindoor, Shah said, 'The whole country is proud of the Armed Forces and BSF. During the tensions, BSF did not leave the border. When shelling happened from that side, BSF personnel retaliated against them.

He also underlined the accuracy of indigenous weapons used in Operation Sindoor, saying,'We also witnessed the success of indigenous defence weapons during Operation Sindoor and I am sure, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, we will move towards self-reliance.

He further said that BSF guards the two most important borders---Pakistan and Bangladesh. 'When it was decided that one force will provide security on one border, BSF was given the responsibility of guarding the two most difficult borders - Bangladesh and Pakistan - and given your capabilities, you have secured it very well.'

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 in response to a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in April, which claimed 26 lives, including a Nepali citizen.

The Indian Armed Forces launched 'OPERATION SINDOOR', hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed. (ANI)