Today, India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that the country’s borders are “fully secure” and that India’s surgical strikes have broken the backs of terrorists.
At a meeting here, he also said that whether it was a “standoff with China” or “bad intentions from Pakistan,” the Indian military was giving a “fitting reply.”
He also said that India has been the world’s leader on issues like terrorism and has been able to get help to get rid of this problem.
“Our borders are completely safe. Whether it was a standoff with China or bad intentions from Pakistan, our armed forces have always responded in the right way.
“The terrorists’ backs have been broken by the surgical strikes against them. “A strong and clear message has been sent to the world that India has the strength and can strike (against terrorism) on its own soil and, if necessary, on their (foreign) soil as well,” he said.
The defense minister said that this was due to the strong will of the government.
He made it clear that countries that use terrorism as a tool know that India never hurts people for no reason and doesn’t let anyone off the hook who tries to hurt its unity, integrity, and sovereignty.
He was talking at the “India Rising Conclave,” which was put on by a major TV network.
“This is a meeting about India’s rise. And different people have said different things about the idea of a rising India. Some economists see it as India’s economy getting stronger, while some sociologists see it as a change for the better in the way people live together. Some political scientists call the country’s political stability and growth of democratic values “rising India,” Mr. Singh said.
But there are also people who say the opposite, and for them, “democracy seems to be on the wane in India.” However, he said, these people are very few and far between.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is becoming one of the “strongest countries,” according to the defense minister. This is because India has strong borders, is self-sufficient, has a strong economy, and has changed its image around the world.
He said that the decision to get rid of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was another sign of how strong the government was. He said that the decision brought a new era of peace and progress to the Union territory.
“This is clear from the fact that the Congress Party didn’t have any trouble during its “Bharat Jodo Yatra.” “There were no problems with how the Yatra left Kashmir,” he said.
Mr. Singh said that the government is moving forward with the ideas of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In 1998, a nuclear test was done in Pokhran while Vajpayee was in charge.
“On our land today, we make big missiles, tanks, weapons, and ammunition. He said, “This is also the result of strong political will.”
He also talked about how the government is committed to developing the Northeast. He said that the region, which is full of natural beauty and resources, is well connected to the rest of the country.
Singh said that the work of the Center has brought the Northeast closer to Delhi and the hearts of the people.
Because there is “unprecedented peace” in the Northeast, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or AFSPA, has been taken away from most places, he said.
He also talked about what the government has done well over the past few years and how India sees its future.
When 5G is being rolled out in telecom, he said, “our PM has already started working on 6G.”
“The cheapest data service for mobile phones in India. “The number of people who have access to broadband has grown from 20% in 2014 to 80% now,” Mr. Singh said.
India’s exports have grown a lot, and the minister said that the record amount of foreign direct investment is a “positive sign.”
“The time for India has come. This is India on the rise,” he said, adding that India has a strong digital economy today.
He said that it was the government’s bold approach and unwavering resolve that made sure the borders were safe and the military was ready for battle, with help from an independent defense industry.
He said that the government’s top priority is national security and that the only way to get there is through self-reliance. He also said that constant efforts are being made to reach “Aatmanirbharta” in defense.
He listed out some of the steps taken by the Ministry of Defence, including notification of positive indigenisation lists; earmarking of record 75 per cent of defence capital procurement budget for domestic industry in financial year 2023-24 and efforts to provide local companies access to international market.
Mr Singh said the domestic defence production has witnessed a significant increase in the last few years.
“Not only do we take care of our own needs, but we also sell weapons and other equipment to other countries. About seven or eight years ago, defense exports were worth about 900 crore. In the current financial year, they are almost at 14,000 crore. Our goal is for it to be worth 40,000 crore by 2026,” he said.
The minister said that the changes in society over the past few years have been “remarkable.”
“Politics based on vote banks based on caste and religious appeasement were going on. Mr. Singh said, “The triple talaq issue was one. It was being used for politics, and women were also being cheated in the name of religion.”
“We tried to give them respect, freedom, and equal rights,” he said.
In his address, he also said that the current cabinet is by far the “most socially diverse cabinet” and even media has reported on this earlier.
Even so, the minister said, there are a lot of people in the country who have made “virodh” (opposition) their “occupation” in order to “smear the image of the country and of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Citing a report by Morgan Stanley, Mr Singh emphasised the growth of the Indian economy.
“An investment firm called Morgan Stanley came up with the term “fragile five” economies in 2013. India was one of them. We have successfully dealt with the problems such as the possibility of recession and COVID-19 pandemic, and today we are an inspiration to other countries. Last year, India got the most FDI ever, at USD 83.57 billion. This is good for the economy and shows that the rest of the world believes in India’s possibilities and opportunities. “We went from being one of the “fragile five” to one of the “fabulous five,” the minister said.
Singh said that a Morgan Stanley report shows that it’s not impossible that India will be one of the top three economies in the world by 2027.
“I hope that by the time we celebrate the 100th anniversary of our independence in 2047, we will have the best economy in the world,” he said.
He said that India’s diplomacy is another sign that the country is becoming more powerful. He also said that India’s presidency of the G-20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this year shows that the country is becoming more important on the world stage.
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