Saturday, March 29, 2025
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh sparked a diplomatic controversy after suggesting that Pakistan’s Sindh province could “one day return to India.” His comments drew a strong condemnation from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called the remarks “delusional” and “dangerous.”
Speaking at an event organized by the Sindhi community in New Delhi on Sunday, Singh referred to former BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani’s writings on Sindh’s cultural ties with India despite the 1947 Partition.
Singh said:
“Even if the land of Sindh is not part of India today, culturally it has always belonged to India. And as far as territory is concerned, borders can change. Who knows—tomorrow, Sindh may once again become part of India.”
He added that many Sindhi Hindus still emotionally reject the separation of Sindh from India during Partition. Singh also highlighted the shared historical reverence for the Indus River among Hindus and even among many Muslims from the region.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement expressing “strong condemnation” of Singh’s remarks.
The statement said:
“Pakistan strongly rejects the Indian Defence Minister’s delusional and dangerous revisionist comments regarding Pakistan’s Sindh province. Such statements reflect an expansionist Hindutva mindset that challenges established realities and violates international law, recognized borders, and state sovereignty.”
Pakistan further warned Indian leaders to refrain from “provocative rhetoric that threatens regional peace and stability,” and urged India to focus instead on the safety and rights of its “vulnerable minority communities.”
The statement also reiterated Pakistan’s traditional position on Kashmir, repeating its objections to India’s sovereignty over the region.
Sindh has been part of Pakistan since the Partition of British India in 1947. The region holds deep cultural significance for Sindhi Hindus, many of whom migrated to India after Partition.
Rajnath Singh’s comments come at a time of already strained ties between India and Pakistan, with both countries frequently accusing each other of provocative political messaging.
