Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Rajya Sabha on July 29 regarding Operation Sindoor — India’s military retaliation to the Pahalgam terror strike that claimed 26 lives. The announcement comes after the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee (BAC) finalised the date for the discussion during a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, news agency ANI reported citing sources.

The discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha is also expected to commence next week, with the government allocating 16 hours for the debate after a consensus was reached. Opposition parties had earlier pressed for a response from the Prime Minister and a full-scale parliamentary discussion on the operation, which included air and ground strikes across the Line of Control.

PM to Speak Post UK Visit

According to NDTV, Prime Minister Modi’s address in the Upper House was scheduled for the following week as he is due to travel to London, where he is expected to finalise a multi-crore free trade deal with the United Kingdom. The opposition had initially pushed for the debate to take place this week but accepted the revised timeline, which ensures the Prime Minister’s participation.

Operation Sindoor, a tri-services military campaign launched on May 7, targeted nine terror launchpads and bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Following the operation, Pakistan reportedly retaliated with missiles and drone attacks on Indian military facilities and civilian areas, prompting a strong counter-response from India.

Military confrontation ceased after what both sides described as a mutual ceasefire agreement.

Rahul Gandhi Targets PM Over Trump’s Ceasefire Remarks

Meanwhile, Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the Prime Minister for not responding to repeated claims by former US President Donald Trump regarding brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

“This is not only about a ceasefire. There are several major issues that we would like to discuss related to defence, defence manufacturing, and Operation Sindoor. The condition is not normal; the entire nation knows,” Gandhi stated, intensifying his attack.

Questioning the Prime Minister’s silence, Gandhi remarked, “How can the Prime Minister give a statement? What will he say, that Trump has announced it? He can’t say it, but it is the truth. The entire world knows that Trump has announced a ceasefire. We can’t hide from reality.”

He added, “Those who call themselves ‘patriots’ have run away. The Prime Minister is unable to give a single statement. Trump has claimed 25 times that he has announced a ceasefire. Who is he? This is not his work. However, the Prime Minister didn’t respond once. This is reality. Can’t hide from it.”

Opposition Raises Concerns Over Foreign Policy

Rahul Gandhi further alleged that India’s global standing has deteriorated, stating, “They have destroyed our foreign policy. You can hardly count on your fingers the number of countries that have supported us. No one has supported us.”

The opposition has also flagged Trump’s repeated remarks claiming credit for the ceasefire, asserting that the Indian government had directly negotiated the cessation of hostilities with Islamabad.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi described Operation Sindoor as a “vijay utsav” — a “victory celebration” — highlighting it as a symbol of the Indian armed forces’ precision and might.

Additionally, during the Rajya Sabha BAC meeting, the government agreed to the opposition’s request to allow farewell speeches for seven retiring MPs. However, their demand for a farewell speech by former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was declined.

The Lok Sabha BAC had met earlier on Monday to plan its upcoming schedule.