Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated a powerful deterrence is key for peace, citing 'Operation Sindoor' and indigenous weapons as its manifestation. He noted India's defence exports saw a record 62.66% rise, boosting global credibility.
'Bhay bin hoye na preet': Rajnath Singh on deterrence
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday noted that a powerful deterrence is essential for peace and stability in international relations. Addressing the ANI National Security Summit 2.0, the Union Minister said that preparation during Operation Sindoor and the credibility of India's indigenous weapons are manifestations of New Delhi's deterrence.
Giving the mantra of "Bhay bin hoye na preet" (There can be no love without fear), Singh said, "Operation Sindoor was a concrete manifestation of deterrence. I recall only one line about deterrence: "Bhay bin hoye na preet," meaning there can be no love without fear. This is the essence of deterrence. The same holds true in international relations. A powerful deterrence is essential for peace and stability."
"Operation Sindoor may have been completed in just 72 hours, but I want to clarify, the preparations behind it were very lengthy. As I just said, we are fully prepared to fight a long war if necessary. Our surge capacity, our storage capacity, the credibility of our indigenous weapons--all of these have become part of our deterrence today, he added.
Record jump in defence exports
He noted that in the financial year 2025-26, India's defence export increased by a record 62.66 per cent as compared to 2024-25. "After Operation Sindoor, we are seeing a remarkably positive attitude worldwide toward the credibility of our indigenous weapons and defence products. Today, the situation has reached such a level that many countries around the world have expressed interest in purchasing weapons and defence equipment from us. In the financial year 2025-26, our defence export record was approximately Rs 39,000 crore. This means we saw a 62.66 per cent increase compared to the previous year. We are continuously moving forward to improve these figures, and you will see the results in a few days," the Defence Minister said.
Operation Sindoor: A response to terror
Indian armed forces carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack and struck terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). About 100 terrorists were killed in the operation, as per the Minister of Defence. Recalling the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath Singh noted the dangers of justifying terrorism by cloaking it in religion.
He said, "I remember the day I received information about the attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam, I personally held a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, the three Secretaries, and the Defence Secretary. I've always told our armed forces that they need to be prepared to deal with any situation. I want to congratulate the chiefs of all three services and all the officers present, who said they were fully prepared for the operation."
"As long as terrorism exists, it will continue to challenge our collective peace, development, and prosperity. At times, attempts are made to justify terrorism by cloaking it in religious terms or linking it to a violent ideology. I believe this is extremely dangerous, extremely pernicious, and it is akin to providing cover fire to terrorists, allowing them to slowly advance towards their goals," the minister added.
India's stance on changing world order
Addressing the challenges amid the changing global order due to conflicts in Europe and West Asia, Rajnath Singh called for India to move forward with alertness. Noting that technology and supply chains are being weaponised by nations against each other, he called for a world order with no escalated conflicts leading to destruction.
Rajnath Singh said, "The world is currently undergoing constant changes. There is conflict in some places, and instability in others. Tensions prevail in Europe, and in West Asia, we witness the horrors of war on a daily basis. The principles of global order are facing challenges. It is not an exaggeration to say that the new world order is the world with no order. In the multipolar world, the power of politics is dominating. National interests are coming to the fore with increasing assertiveness. Questions are being raised on the relevance of rules crafted for decades. International organisations are getting weaker, and technology, supply chains and digital tools are being weaponised against each other. India needs to move forward with more alertness in the changing world order."
"I also presented my views on the new world order at the SCO Defence Ministers' Summit. He said that we have to ask ourselves: Do we want a New World Order, or do we want a world order that is orderly? We need a system where every individual is accorded respect and dignity--one where no differences escalate into a conflict, and where no conflict becomes a cause for destruction," he said.
The changing world order comes amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which began back in 2022 and the current conflict in West Asia, which started with US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28 and brought the whole region into the ambit of an armed and economic conflict. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)