Pakistan Behind Red Fort Blast as It Cannot Win ‘Straight War’, Claims Maharashtra CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday accused Pakistan of orchestrating the recent Red Fort blast in Delhi that claimed at least 10 lives, alleging that the neighbouring country was resorting to terror attacks because it cannot defeat India in a “straightforward war.”

Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Fadnavis linked the Red Fort explosion and the earlier Pahalgam terror attack to what he described as Pakistan’s continued attempts to destabilise India through proxy warfare.

“Pakistan knows it cannot defeat India in a straightforward war, and hence the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and the recent blast in Delhi took place,” Fadnavis said, as quoted by news agency ANI. He lauded security agencies for recently busting a “white collar terror module” and recovering nearly 3,000 kg of ammunition allegedly meant for coordinated strikes in Mumbai and other major cities.

Fadnavis claimed Indian intelligence agencies had thwarted broader terror plans by launching pre-emptive operations. “Their intentions were to detonate bombs in every corner of India. Many of our cities, including Mumbai, were on their radar. But when our agencies sensed it and acted directly, they responded with an explosion in Delhi,” he said.

The chief minister also reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s position that “terror and talks cannot go together,” adding that the Centre had given the armed forces full freedom to respond to cross-border threats. He said India’s response through “Operation Sindoor” earlier this year showcased the country’s strength and resolve.

Fadnavis made the remarks at “Global Peace Honours: Remembering the Heroes of 26/11 and Victims of Pahalgam Attack,” an event organised at the Gateway of India by the Divyaj Foundation, headed by Amruta Fadnavis.

Marking the 17th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Fadnavis said the memories of the tragedy still evoke deep pain. The 2008 attack by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists lasted four days and claimed 166 lives in a series of coordinated shootings and bombings.

“Mumbai is the economic capital of India, and an attack on the city is an attack on the sovereignty of the country,” he said, adding that India must remain vigilant. “The threat of terror still persists. We need to be the eyes and ears of our country. We are safe only if we are united.”

Fadnavis also said that decisive action taken after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, in which at least 26 tourists were killed, demonstrated India’s ability to respond forcefully to cross-border terror infrastructure. “Had we shown the courage to conduct an ‘Operation Sindoor’ back then, nobody would have dared to attack us again,” he added.