India no longer weak but strong and well-equipped to deal with all challenges, says Rajnath

Udaipur, August 30, 2022

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India had been transformed into a strong, confident and self-reliant nation fully equipped to deal with all kinds of threats and challenges.

Addressing a function in Udaipur, Rajasthan, the Minister said the steps taken by the Government in the past eight years had injected new confidence into the Armed Forces.

He asserted that India has never attacked any country, nor has it captured an inch of a foreign land, but if anyone ever tries to harm the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the nation, a befitting reply would be given.

“It is the result of the last eight years that India is no longer weak. We clarified our stand on terrorism when our Armed Forces, displaying tremendous might, carried out surgical strikes in 2016 and the Balakot airstrikes in 2019. It was proof that India's military prowess is no less than any country,” Rajnath Singh said.

He assured the nation that the Armed Forces are deployed with full readiness to protect the people from anti-India elements.

The foundation of "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" has been laid under the leadership of the Prime Minister and this strong and self-reliant New India was moving shoulder-to-shoulder with powerful countries.

He listed steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to promote "Aatmanirbharta" (self-reliance), including three positive indigenisation lists of 310 items and earmarking 68% of the capital procurement budget for the domestic industry in Union Budget 2022-23. Foreign companies are being encouraged to manufacture in India under the "Make in India, Make for the World" vision to strengthen the domestic defence industry.

The efforts taken by the Government have started to bear fruit as India was not only catering to its own needs but also fulfilling the requirements of other countries. He appreciated the fact that defence exports, which were worth about Rs 900 crore eight years ago, have now grown to around Rs 13,000 crore.

A target of Rs 2.75 lakh crore worth of defence exports by 2047 has been set, he said exuding confidence that India was well on course to achieve the objective.

He reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensure the safety of Indians who not only reside within the country but also in other parts of the world. He stressed that the safe return of Indian nationals from Ukraine, amid its ongoing situation with Russia, was a testament to the resolve of ensuring the safety and security of every Indian.

Rajnath Singh was in Udaipur to unveil the statue of Panna Dhai, a 16th-century nursemaid to Udai Singh II, the fourth son of Indian ruler Sangram Singh I, popularly known as Rana Sanga.

He commended the bravery of Panna Dhai, who sacrificed her son to protect Udai Singh II, father of Maharana Pratap, in the interest of Mewar and the entire country. He urged the people to take inspiration from Panna Dhai and play their part in nation-building.

NNN