Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday spoke about changes in India’s policy with regard to terrorism, dialogue with China on the Ladakh standoff, reported Hindustan Times.

Singh said that India was not a soft target any longer, and the Centre’s changes in national security showed that an attack like on November 26, 2008, in Mumbai would be nearly impossible. The defence minister was speaking on the anniversary of the attacks.

“I want to assure everyone that under PM [Narendra] Modi’s administration, there will be no compromise on India’s border, self-respect and sovereignty,” Singh said during the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.

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India and China held at least eight rounds of discussion and will soon conduct another with the goal of achieving complete disengagement at the border. Singh on Thursday said the dialogue with China will continue, adding: “But I believe countries should not be expansionist”, reported Mint.

The defence minister said that November 26 is an important days for India when national security is concerned. “26/11 gave a new direction to our security police, the incident challenged our sovereignty,” Singh said.

India’s response to terrorism includes controlling infiltration, but can also give a fitting reply to “terrorists across the border”.

The standoff along the Line of Actual Control between India and China has been in a stalemate since May, when Chinese troops moved to take control of the territory that had been patrolled by Indian soldiers for decades. The initial scuffles led to a pitched battle – without firearms – in June that saw 20 Indian soldiers killed. Beijing, however, refused to release casualty numbers on its side. Both India and China have accused each other of crossing into rival territory and of firing shots for the first time in 45 years.