Day is not far when people in PoK will return to India voluntarily: Rajnath

New Delhi: People of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are part of the Indian family and the day is not far when they will return to India's mainstream voluntarily, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.

Laying out India's policy approach towards Pakistan, Singh said New Delhi has "redesigned and redefined" its strategy and response to terrorism and that possible dialogue with Islamabad will be only on terrorism and PoK.

In an address at the CII Business Summit, the defence minister largely attempted to reach out to people of PoK, saying India considers them to be part of its "own" family.

"I believe that the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are our own, part of our family," he said.

"We have full faith that those of our brothers who are geographically and politically separated from us today will also return to the mainstream of India someday listening to their voice of soul," he added.

Singh said most of the people in PoK feel a "deep connection" with India and only a few of them have been "misled".

"India always talks about connecting hearts, and we believe that by walking on the path of love, unity and truth, the day is not far when our own part, PoK, will return and say, I am India, I have returned," he said.

In a clear message to Pakistan, Singh also said the business of terrorism is not cost effective and it will come with a heavy price as Islamabad has realised now.

In his remarks, Singh also highlighted India's domestic defence capabilities.

India's defence export was less than Rs 1,000 crore 10 years ago but it has now reached a record figure of Rs 23,500 crore, he said.

Today, it has been proven that Make-in-India in defence is essential for both India's security and prosperity, he said.

India's home-grown systems surprised the entire world during Operation Sindoor as our platforms and systems displayed their strength, he added.

Today, we are not just building fighter jets or missile systems and we are also preparing for new-age warfare technology, he said.