Peacetime is nothing but ‘illusion', must remain prepared for uncertainty: Rajnath Singh
NEW DELHI: Hailing the armed forces for the valour they displayed during
Operation Sindoor
post the Pahalgam
terror attack
, defence minister
Rajnath Singh
said on Monday that 'peace time is an illusion and India must remain prepared for any uncertainty'.
The defence minister praised the armed forces for Operation Sindoor but said the larger geopolitical situation leaves no scope for complacency in the effort to enhance preparedness. 'A single delay or error in financial processes can directly affect operational preparedness,' said the minister while addressing the Controllers Conference of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD).
Talking about rising demand for desi weapons of late, Rajnath said, 'The world is looking at our defence sector with new respect.
Operation Sindoor has boosted global demand for our indigenous armaments. Most of the equipment we once imported is now being made in India. Our reforms are succeeding because of the clarity of vision and commitment at the highest level. Sudden developments can force a complete shift in our financial and operational posture.
' The minister spoke in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K.
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Tripathi, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh and defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at the conference.
The govt has over the past few years allowed the armed forces to procure arms and ammunition through the 'emergency' route. Post-Operation Sindoor, it cleared a range of acquisitions for the armed forces.
The armed forces have consistently complained, often publicly, about acquisitions being delayed because of the rigid approach of the bureaucracy and auditors.
Rajnath called on DAD to evolve from a 'controller' to a 'facilitator' in sync with increasing participation of the private sector in defence. He praised DAD's new motto 'Alert, Agile, Adaptive' and noted that these are not mere words, but a reflection of the work culture required in today's rapidly evolving defence environment.
'Whether it's stepping up equipment production or adapting financial processes, we must be ready with innovative techniques and responsive systems at all times,' the minister said.
Citing the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute report, which said global military expenditure reached $2.7 trillion in 2024, Rajnath said, 'This opens up tremendous opportunities for India's indigenous defence industries.'
The minister also said that gone were the days when expenditure in the defence sector was only considered necessary and never viewed as an economic catalyst. 'Now, it is being seen as a spending which has a multiplier impact on the economy,' he said.
'Earlier, there was no assessment of the economic impact of expenditure on security but things have changed now when investment in re-armament is rising exponentially.
We need to pay special attention to defence economics,' he said.
Singh said India, along with the rest of the world, is entering a new phase of re-armament, marked by capital-intensive investments in the defence sector. He called upon DAD to incorporate defence economics in their planning and assessments, including social impact analysis of R&D projects and dual-use technologies.
Highlighting the increasing strategic and economic significance of the defence sector, Rajnath called for a shift in perception from defence spending as mere expenditure to an economic investment with multiplier impact. 'Until recently, defence budgets were not seen as part of the national economy. Today, they are growth drivers,' he said.
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