Daijiworld Media Network - Tampa
Tampa, Aug 23: Days after Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s nuclear threat against India and his description of Pakistan as a “dumper truck,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the remarks reflected a “predatory” mindset and admitted Islamabad’s failure.
Referring indirectly to Munir’s statements during a talk to the Pakistani diaspora in Florida, Singh said, “If two countries got independence together and one built an economy like a sports car with hard work, right policies, and vision, while the other remained stuck in failure, it is their own doing. This is not a joke, it is a confession.” Munir had compared India to a shining Mercedes and Pakistan to a dumper truck, warning that a collision would cause loss.
Singh highlighted that Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7 targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territories in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, demonstrated India’s firm approach to security challenges. The operation lasted four days, concluding with an understanding to stop military actions on May 10.
“The Pakistan Army chief has pointed towards a predatory mentality that Pakistan has been a victim of since its inception,” Singh said. He emphasized that India’s ethos measures strength not by dominance but by care, global good, and national honour.
Singh also urged foreign companies to invest in India’s defence sector, highlighting the growth in defence exports from Rs 686 cr in 2013-14 to Rs 23,622 cr in 2024-25. The government aims to reach Rs 30,000 cr in defence exports this year and Rs 50,000 cr by 2029. Domestic production has grown from Rs 40,000 cr in 2014 to over Rs 1.5 lakh cr in 2024-25.
He underlined India’s push for indigenisation, with five positive indigenisation lists covering 509 platforms, systems, and weapons to be manufactured domestically, and 75 per cent of the defence capital procurement budget reserved for Indian companies.
Singh highlighted recent breakthroughs, including orders worth Rs 66,000 cr for 97 Tejas fighter aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in addition to an earlier order of 83 aircraft worth Rs 48,000 cr, and reiterated plans for fifth-generation fighter aircraft and aircraft engines in India.