Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday sent out a strong message to Pakistan over its recent military activities near the Sir Creek region, cautioning that any miscalculation by Islamabad would invite a response powerful enough to “change both history and geography.”

Speaking at a public gathering on the occasion of Shashtra Pujan, Singh accused Pakistan of deliberately reigniting the long-standing territorial dispute in Sir Creek despite multiple Indian efforts to settle the matter through dialogue.

“Even after 78 years of independence, a dispute over the border in the Sir Creek area is being stirred up. India has made several attempts to resolve the issue through dialogue, but there is a flaw in Pakistan’s intentions; its intentions are unclear. The way in which the Pakistan army has recently expanded its military infrastructure in areas adjacent to Sir Creek reveals its intentions,” Singh said.

Sir Creek, a 96-kilometre marshland in the Rann of Kutch along the Gujarat coastline, has remained a contentious border area between India and Pakistan for decades. Singh pointed to recent expansion of Pakistani military infrastructure in the adjoining region as a sign of renewed aggression.

“The Indian Army and BSF are jointly and vigilantly protecting the borders of India. If any misadventure is attempted from the Pakistani side in the Sir Creek area, it will receive a decisive response that will alter both history and geography,” he warned.

Recalling the 1965 war, Singh invoked past military achievements to underline India’s capabilities. “In the 1965 war, the Indian Army had demonstrated the capability to reach Lahore. Today in 2025, Pakistan should remember that one route to Karachi passes through the Creek,” he added.

His remarks come at a time of heightened concerns within security circles about Pakistan’s posture along the Gujarat border.

Rajnath Singh also spoke about Operation Sindoor while addressing soldiers in Gujarat’s Bhuj, emphasising India’s ongoing fight against cross-border terrorism. He noted that Pakistan had attempted to breach India’s defences during the operation, but its efforts were decisively repelled.

“During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate India’s defence system from Leh to Sir Creek. However, in retaliatory action, Indian forces completely exposed the Pakistani air defence system and sent a message to the world that Indian forces can inflict heavy losses on Pakistan whenever and wherever they wish,” Singh said.

Shimla in Himachal Pradesh recorded 39 per cent above-normal rainfall during the monsoon season that lasted from June 1 to September 30. According to the Meteorological Department, the state received 1,022.5 mm of rainfall against the seasonal average of 734.4 mm.

The intense rains caused widespread destruction across the hill state, leading to estimated losses of more than ₹4,881 crore. During the season, Himachal witnessed 47 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods and 148 significant landslides. The calamities claimed 454 lives, highlighting the severe toll of this year’s monsoon.

Looking at long-term records, the earliest onset of the southwest monsoon in the last 29 years was on June 9, 2000, while the most delayed arrival was on July 5, 2010. Similarly, the earliest withdrawal took place on September 18, 2001, and the latest was noted on October 11, 2019.

This year’s rainfall has been ranked as the 15th-highest monsoon total in the past 125 years and the highest in nearly three decades. For context, the heaviest rainfall on record during the same period was 1,314.6 mm in 1922.

Month-wise distribution revealed that rainfall was 34 per cent above normal in June, 68 per cent higher in August and 71 per cent higher in September. July, however, saw a deficit of 2 per cent. The MeT office confirmed that very heavy rain days numbered 36 this season.

Of the total fatalities, 264 people died in rain-related incidents while 190 lost their lives in road accidents. Another 498 individuals sustained injuries, and 50 remain unaccounted for. The latest assessment from the State Emergency Operation Centre, issued on September 24, reported that around 9,230 houses were either fully destroyed or partially damaged.