Defence Forces Free to Respond Decisively: Rajnath Singh
Raksha Mantri says terror attacks will face a befitting response as India strengthens strategic autonomy and defence self-reliance
- Rajnath Singh said the defence forces have been given freedom and resources to respond decisively to threats.
- He stressed that India distinguishes between peace and weakness and will respond firmly to terrorism.
- Defence production has risen to around ₹1.80 lakh crore, while exports have crossed ₹38,000 crore, he said.
- India is focusing on indigenous advanced technologies, including AI, drones, autonomous systems and hypersonic weapons.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th Sept: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Indian defence forces have been given both the freedom and resources to respond decisively to threats, including the ability to strike adversaries inside their own territory.
Speaking at an event in New Delhi on September 7, Singh said India has adopted a proactive approach towards terrorism and national security. He cited the Surgical Strikes, Balakot Airstrike and Operation Sindoor as examples of decisive military action against terrorists and their handlers.
The Defence Minister said India believes in peace and does not seek war or the territory of another country, but stressed that peace should not be mistaken for weakness. He said any country promoting terrorism against India would face a befitting response.
Singh also highlighted developments in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, stating that new opportunities have been created for youth through employment, business, rehabilitation and de-radicalisation initiatives.
On changing warfare, he said space and cyberspace have emerged as new domains alongside land, air and sea. Artificial Intelligence, drones, autonomous systems and precision weapons are transforming modern battlefields, making indigenous advanced technology a key priority for India.
The Raksha Mantri said defence production has increased from around ₹40,000 crore before 2014 to approximately ₹1.80 lakh crore, while defence exports have grown 56-fold to more than ₹38,000 crore. The government aims to raise defence exports to ₹50,000 crore by 2029.
He highlighted indigenous platforms and systems including Akashteer, Akash, Pinaka, Astra, Prachand, Dhruv, Tejas, Arjun and INS Vikrant. He added that India is also pursuing the development of sixth-generation fighter aircraft.
Singh said all 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings are now operating without losses, while more than 16,000 MSMEs are engaged in the defence sector. Investment proposals worth around ₹70,000 crore have been received for the Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
He further said India is pursuing strategic autonomy amid geopolitical uncertainties by strengthening domestic manufacturing, supply chains and critical technologies. The government, he added, aims to make India a nation capable of developing advanced technologies indigenously and achieving greater self-reliance in defence.
