Srinagar, Nov 28 (KNO): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that India has always believed in peace and dialogue, and it remains committed to that approach, but when it comes to the sovereignty and the security of the people, they won’t compromise.
Speaking at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue in New Delhi, Rajnath Singh, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that Armed Forces have shown again and again that they are capable and ready.
He said that it is this blend of restraint and firmness that allows “us to manage our neighbourhood challenges, while contributing to regional stability”.
“In this changing global environment, India’s place is also undergoing transformation. Our economic growth, technological capabilities and principled foreign policy have made us a voice of balance and responsibility,” he said.
He added that today, India is not standing on the margins of global discussions, in fact we are shaping them. “And we do so with a sense of responsibility, strategic autonomy and confidence rooted in our civilisational values”.
The Defense Minister said that these days, countries across the Indo-Pacific and the Global South look to India as a reliable partner. “This trust has not come to us automatically. It has been earned through our consistent stand for respect of sovereignty of nations and rules-based international order”.
He further said that India lives in a region where challenges emerge in many forms - terrorism, cross-border support to extremist elements, attempts to alter the status quo, maritime pressures and even information warfare. “These are complex situations that require constant vigilance and clarity of purpose”.
“When we look at the global environment and the realities of our neighbourhood, one message becomes very clear, we cannot rely on past structures to deal with future challenges. The world is changing too fast and the nature of threats is becoming too complex. This is why reforms are not a choice anymore, they are a strategic necessity,” he said.
He also said that reforms strengthen the adaptability of institutions, enhance the agility of Armed Forces and give the nation the confidence to shape its own destiny.
“When we speak of ‘Reform to Transform’, we are not merely talking about procedures or policies. We are not talking about mere tweaking the status quo. We are talking about preparing India for a new era which will transform it into Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat,” he said
He said; “We cannot have a Viksit Bharat without a Surakshit Bharat. We cannot have a Surakshit Bharat without a Sashakt Bharat. This is the chain that holds our national aspirations together. But for this chain to hold firm in a changing world, we must build something even deeper within our national character - resilience”.
He said that in today’s world, he must advocate that resilience has become as important as capability. “I believe that a resilient India is one that can absorb shocks, adapt quickly and continue moving forward, no matter what the circumstances are”.
The Defence Minister also said that the government is taking steady steps to keep Armed Forces future-ready and India is moving forward with confidence. “Stronger borders, modern systems and faster reforms are shaping a resilient defence ecosystem,” he said—(KNO)