Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 13 September 2026, publicly praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for authorising Operation Sindoor — the cross-border military response to a terrorist attack — calling it an act of decisive national leadership that no previous government had mustered. Shah made the remarks at the 52nd India Gems and Jewellery Awards ceremony in Mumbai.

Shah's Remarks on Operation Sindoor

'Who could have imagined that a terrorist attack would be answered by entering Pakistan's territory, and that the country would have a Prime Minister capable of taking such a decisive stand?' Shah said, addressing the gathering. He framed Operation Sindoor alongside the earlier surgical strike and air strike as part of a continuum of assertive defence posture under Modi.

Shah said that whether it was the surgical strike, the air strike, or Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Modi has pursued a defence policy that 'makes the enemy think twice and tremble at the very thought of attacking India.' The remarks signal the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s intent to keep the operation central to its political narrative.

Economic Claims and India's Global Standing

The Home Minister also highlighted what he described as the transformational economic changes brought about over the past 12 years under Modi. He pointed to India's current status among the top five economies globally and cited a GDP growth rate of 7.8 per cent for the first quarter of the current financial year, calling India 'one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world.'

Shah attributed the growth to infrastructure investments, Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, and export-promotion facilities, saying India's exports are 'continuing to surpass their own records.' He added that Prime Minister Modi has given 140 crore Indians the confidence that India will emerge as the number one nation in the world across every sector by 15 August 2047.

Cultural and Religious Milestones

Shah also invoked what he described as long-pending cultural achievements under the Modi government, including the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, the rejuvenation of Kedarnath, and the development of Mahakal Lok. 'India has accomplished what, for decades, people did not even have the courage to speak about,' he said.

Gems and Jewellery Sector

Speaking specifically to the awards audience, Shah said the India Diamond Board's initiative reflected India's 'confidence, skill, prosperity and global aspirations,' and projected that India would emerge as the global hub for gems and jewellery in the coming years. Among those present at the ceremony were Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.

Political Context

The speech comes as the BJP continues to build a political narrative around Operation Sindoor ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. Notably, the remarks were delivered not at a party event but at an industry awards function — underscoring the government's strategy of projecting military assertiveness as a mainstream governance credential rather than a purely partisan talking point. Critics and opposition leaders have raised questions about the long-term diplomatic fallout of cross-border military action, though the Home Minister made no reference to those concerns in his address.