A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spotlighted India's defence capabilities during Operation Sindoor at the 'Melbourne Meets Modi' event, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rallied behind his remarks on 10 July, asserting that India's strengthened defence infrastructure has translated into tangible export wins — with nations now actively signing weapons deals with New Delhi.

BJP Spokespersons Hail India's Defence Leap

BJP National Spokesperson R.P. Singh said India had dismantled terror infrastructure in Pakistan and demonstrated the battlefield credibility of its weapons systems. 'We have destroyed terror infrastructures there. Apart from that the might of our weapons have also been proved because of which countries like Philippines and Vietnam have entered into defence deals with India,' Singh said. His remarks were a direct reference to India's BrahMos Missile System agreements with Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Rajasthan BJP President Madan Rathore described Operation Sindoor as a strategic milestone, noting that strikes targeted what he called 'very centres of terrorism' inside Pakistan. Drawing a parallel with the US operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, Rathore said India had now demonstrated the ability to eliminate terrorists by launching missiles from within its own territory — a capability he argued reflects the depth of India's defence build-up under Modi.

NDA Allies Amplify the Message

Janata Dal-United (JDU) National Spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said Indian defence forces had shown the world that Pakistan 'may nurture terrorism but they don't have the courage to compete against India.' He claimed that within 72 hours, India destroyed terrorist infrastructure and 'killed more than 100 of their major terrorists' — a figure attributed to his statement and not independently verified.

BJP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal described Operation Sindoor as 'incredible', alleging that Pakistan was left in ruins within a week and subsequently 'requested to stop it.' He added that India agreed to Pakistan's plea for a ceasefire, framing it as a demonstration of India's restraint rather than compulsion. BJP Spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan echoed the sentiment, saying no external power can threaten India's sovereignty without facing a decisive response.

The BrahMos Factor: From Domestic Pride to Export Diplomacy

Central to the NDA's narrative is the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, which has emerged as India's flagship defence export product. The Philippines signed a deal worth approximately ₹2,671 crore in 2022 — the first-ever BrahMos export — and negotiations with Vietnam and Indonesia have followed, according to earlier government statements. Operation Sindoor, according to NDA leaders, has reinforced the global perception of Indian weapons as combat-proven systems, potentially accelerating future export pipelines.

Context: Operation Sindoor and the Political Narrative

Operation Sindoor, India's military action targeting alleged terror camps in Pakistan, has become a recurring reference point for the ruling coalition in recent weeks. Prime Minister Modi's address at the Melbourne Meets Modi community event — where he highlighted India's defence achievements — provided fresh political momentum for the NDA to project the operation as both a security success and a catalyst for India's emergence as a credible arms exporter. This comes amid a broader government push to raise defence exports to ₹50,000 crore by 2029, a target set under the Defence Acquisition Procedure framework. Whether Operation Sindoor's diplomatic aftereffects translate into signed contracts beyond the existing BrahMos pipeline remains to be seen.