"Pulwama and Uri were both unfortunate incidents. The prime minister took just 10 minutes to take a decision (on carrying out surgical strikes) which shows his strong willpower. Our forces not only neutralised the terrorists on this side but also went across the border to finish them off," Singh said.

Addressing a national security conclave held at the University of Jammu, the minister stressed that the world, including Muslim countries, is united against terrorism. He said cash-strapped Pakistan would achieve nothing by "parroting Kashmir" and should instead put its house in order.

In his over 40-minute address, the minister asserted that India has taken major action against terrorism under the Modi government and referred to the surgical strikes carried out across the Line of Control (LoC) in 2016 and the Balakot air strike in 2019.

"Bharat ab pehle jaisa Bharat nahi raha. Bharat takatwar banta jaa raha hai. Zaroorat padi to Bharat seema ke iss par bhi maar sakta hai aur zaroorat paditoh uss paar bhi jaa sakta hai (India is not the same as it used to be. It is getting more powerful. If needed, India can hit on this side of the border and can go across the border as well," the defence minister said.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government started effective action against terrorism and, for the first time, not only the country but also the world came to know the meaning of zero tolerance against terrorism, he said amid applause from the audience.