Indian Defence sector will be world leader in coming times, says Rajnath Singh

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], October 18 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the Indian Defence sector would be a world leader in the coming times due to the concerted efforts of the country.
Addressing at the 'Manthan' ceremony in Gandhinagar, Singh said, "Due to the concerted efforts of the country, the Indian Defence sector will be a world leader in the coming times. There's no dearth of talent in our country from Gujarat to Assam, and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. There is a need to identify them, refine them, and link them with the progress of the nation."
Lauding the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative by the government, the Defence Minister said that it was awarded the Prime Minister's Award last year due to its excellence.
"iDEX is one of the important initiatives towards making India self-reliant and self-sufficient. It was launched by PM during Def-Expo 2018. Due to its excellence, it was awarded Prime Minister's Award last year," he said.
"iDEX has uncovered entrepreneurial potential in the country, which wasn't visible till now due to various policy constraints. It has provided a platform for aspiring start-ups, and innovators to come forward and work closely with other stakeholders in the defence sector," Singh added.
The Minister said that India's paths leading to new objectives should be new.
"India's the youngest country in the world today, not only from a demographic point of view but also from the mind. Its thinking is new, its goals are new & so the paths leading to new objectives should also be new," he said.
Earlier today, Singh addressed delegates from 43 African countries during India-Africa Defence Dialogue in Gandhinagar.
"India is steadfast in its commitment to provide support in all arenas to African countries, for fulfilling their aspirations for peace and stability in the region," he said. The event was organised on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022.
He added that India is willing to work together with African countries in the areas of mutual interest. India's defence and security partnership with the African continent will continue to be guided by our traditional goodwill towards African people.
India does not believe in a hierarchical world order where few countries are considered superior to others. India's international relations are guided by the very essence of human equality and dignity, which is a part of our ancient ethos, he said.
"We do not believe in making or becoming a client or satellite state, and so, when we partner with any nation, it is on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect. Forging relations comes naturally to India, as we work towards mutual economic development," he said.
"I am sure that you also share our belief that the global world order deserves to be democratised further. The world's multilateral forums should be reflective of the change in global realities. In this regard, it is necessary to make the UN Security Council more representative which will give it greater legitimacy, thereby sustaining a global order in which the principles of international peace, security and order are respected universally," he added.