Kochi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that those living in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will return to India voluntarily as they are part of the Indian family, media reports said.
The day is not far when they will return to India’s mainstream voluntarily, Singh said while addressing the CII Business Summit.
Singh said India’s possible dialogue with Islamabad will be only on terrorism and PoK.
The Defence Minister said India considered the people of PoK to be part of its “own” family.
Singh said most of the people in PoK feel a “deep connection” with India and only a few of them have been “misled”.
Singh said the business of terrorism is not cost-effective and it will come with a heavy price as Islamabad has realised now.
In his remarks, Mr. Singh also highlighted India’s domestic defence capabilities.
India’s defence export which was below ₹1,000 crore 10 years ago, has reached a ₹23,500 crore now, he said.
Make-in-India in defence is essential for both India’s security and prosperity, he said.
He praised India’s home-grown systems that surprised the entire world during Operation Sindoor.
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